Trust Of A Geohound
by Alrynnas
Summary: Not one, but two Geohounds are hired to protect Elena on her journey. But what will happen to our heroes in their quest against Valmar when there turns out to be more than meets the eye with this mysterious Geohound? Takes place DURING game. Ryudo/OC
1. Reluctant Partners

Hello there readers! Before this adventure begins, I'd just like to say some things. This fanfic is essentially a retelling of Grandia 2 in its entirety with my OCs tossed in the mix. There will be some slight changes to the events of the game, naturally, but the overall story is the same. The first chapter, however, takes place about 3 months before the start of the game, and it was really to introduce my OC. On top of that, the first few chapters were written quite sime time ago, so the style of writing changes slightly later on, and I apologize if this stands out to anyone. I also apologize for any spelling/grammar mistakes I may have missed while correcting. Though I have checked the chapters I have written so far several times, I wouldn't be surprised if some slipped through the cracks. That's...all I have to say for now. Enjoy!

**I**

**_Reluctant Partners_**

With the sun high, and not a cloud in the sky, it was like nothing could go wrong that day. There was hardly anyone who did not have a good life. These were prosperous times. But it had not always been like that.

Many, many years ago, all had been bathed in the Holy Light of Granas, the God of Light. Marvels had been made, and everyone lived wonderful lives. No one thought those times would end. But soon, there were some who sought to resist Granas. They found power in Valmar, the God of Darkness, the Devil. With the number of Valmar's followers growing, war broke out. Destruction began to cover the land, suffocating everything. That was what people called the Battle of Good and Evil.

But on the seventh day of the battle, it all ended.

Granas took up his mighty blade, and pierced the infinite darkness of Valmar. The Divine Sword, the Granasaber, fell to the earth, and carved several ugly scars into the land, so named the Granacliffs. They separated the lands, making nearly everyone isolated until they found means to cross them. Wounded, Granas fell to the earth for rest, and ever since that day Valmar was defeated, a new moon hung in the sky, Valmar's Moon. There were even some times in the day when its red glow could faintly be seen in the blue sky. It was one of those days.

There were many who still strongly believed in Granas, waiting for the day when he would wake from his rest. They constantly prayed for any of their troubles to be taken away, and to live a blessed life. A young Geohound, Ryudo, was not one of those people. He was a bounty hunter, and one with great skills with a blade. He hated Church, he hated religion, he hated anything that had to deal with that stuff. He was a young man who got things done by his own hands, not by "muttering uselessly to the sky", as he put it.

Drumming his fingers over the hilt of his blade, he made his way for Ackrynn, a small village far to the west of the Granacliffs. His bird, Skye, was perched on his shoulder. He had met Skye two years ago, when he had been fifteen, and was now the only one he could possibly trust and talk to fairly openly. Ryudo was a very cynical and pessimistic person, and would do any job for a price, regardless of moral judgment.

And the occupation he took, being a Geohound, it was not one people looked highly upon.

Over the past three years, he had not seen anyone else who did the same line of work as he did. True, there had been some people who would help others out, but none of them were Geohounds like him.

Kids ran through the streets, playing with their friends. A small group of women appeared to be talking up a storm as they walked past him, not even noticing him. Spotting the building that looked like it was the inn, he quickly headed over for it. People looked up when they heard the new person who entered for a second before they went back to whatever they had been doing. Ryudo walked up to the front desk.

"Hey, can you tell me where the Village Chief's place is?" he asked, leaning casually on the counter. The innkeeper looked up at him.

"And why would you need to know that?" he asked back.

Ryudo sighed slowly. Why did everyone he met want to know about stuff that did not concern them? That was something that always puzzled him. "Because he wants to hire me for something that I don't know yet," he explained, clearly annoyed, and saying each word slowly. _Honestly. Why else would I care about something like that if it wasn't for a job? And why the hell should he care anyway?_ Ryudo asked himself.

The man's look suddenly became one of disgust. "Oh, so you're the Geohound." He spat the word "Geohound"like saying it was poison itself. The room suddenly went silent and every head turned to look at Ryudo. He let out a drawn-out sigh, running his hand through his dark-brown hair. Nearly everywhere he went, he got that sort of greeting. A Geohound. A scumbag. An irritable vagabond. A ruthless boar. That was what Geohounds were seen as. "Go out and head left. His is the big house next to the Church," he instructed the young man.

Wanting to get out of the Geohound's presence as soon as possible, the innkeeper went into the back room behind the counter. The young man scoffed and rolled his eyes in thanks before he exited. What was it about being a Geohound that made people treat then like scum? Sure, they might kill people to get their pay, they could kill people without a second thought if their job required of it.

But they got the job done, no matter what.

_I guess people can't stand that we kill to pay for our next meal,_ he thought sourly to himself as he walked outside and headed left. Sometimes, he just was not able to understand why they were all so aghast to that thought. If they were thrown into a situation where it was either kill or be killed, what would they do then? A Geohound was just thrown into that sort of situation a lot more often.

"I can't stand men like him," commented Skye, turning his head around to look back at the inn. Skye was in his mid-forties, and was the only being that was able to keep Ryudo in check.

"Don't get your feathers all ruffled up 'cause of him. At least he wasn't as bad as some of the other people we've had to talk to."

The bird clicked his beak in irritation. "True. But you think there would at least be some more people out there that didn't hate us," he pointed out.

The tall Geohound sighed inwardly. "Well, until we meet a large enough amount that don't hate us, we can still say that everyone hates us," he said nonchalantly, scratching his chin.

"One of the great mysteries of the universe?" Even though no one could see it, Ryudo could tell Skye had risen his eyebrows at that question...or would have if he had eyebrows.

He barked out a quick laugh. "Yeah! Along with women, the other great mystery is why most people don't like Geohounds." The short joke between friends ended when they knocked on the Village Chief's house. He did not have to wait long before the door was opened by a maid with black hair.

"Good afternoon, sir." She gave a small curtsy. Ryudo had to suppress a groan. He hated when people would make it seem like he was better than they were. If at all, he was "worse", as most people put it. He was a Geohound, the "scum of the planet". "May I help you?" she asked, folding her hands in front of her.

"Is the Village Chief in? I got a message saying he needed me for a job."

"Ah yes. You must be the Geohound." Even though she did not say it with the same malice as the innkeeper had—probably because she had to always be polite, he figured—there was a look in her brown eyes that gave away her dislike for Geohounds. It was just one more person to add to his list of people who did not like Geohounds. She stepped to the side, allowing him entrance. "Please, come in."

After Ryudo walked in, the maid closed the door behind him. Not wanting to get any closer than she had to, she held out her arm to indicate what appeared to be a living room. "Please wait over there. The Village Chief will be with you shortly." She gave a curt bow before she scuttled off. Fiddling with his dark-blue sleeve, he walked over to the designated room and sat down in one of the armchairs.

He ended up picking at the cloth on the arm while waiting. Skye hopped down onto the opposite one. Footsteps coming down stairs indicated that someone had come back. Rising, he saw the Village Chief dismiss the maid as he walked over to anther armchair, signaling that the Geohound could be seated once again.

"Thank you for coming so quickly."

Ryudo leaned his chin against his hand. "Hey, the faster I get one job, the faster I get to the next." The Village Chief gave a small sniff of disapproval at his answer. "Anyway, name's Ryudo and this here's Skye," he introduced the two of them as usual, indicating to Skye with his thumb.

"You may call me Kosuke. Now, I'm afraid we will have to wait a bit longer before we can get down to business." The Village Chief became a little edgy, worried about what Ryudo's reaction would be.

He blinked a few times. That was a something he had not heard before. Most of the time, the people who hired him got straight down to business, mainly to get him out of there sooner. That was another thing that puzzled him: if they were always to reluctant to work with a Geohound, why did they hire one in the first place? He never pushed that subject though, whatever the reason, it meant more gold for him. "And what would be the reason for the delay?"

Kosuke got even more edgy. "Well...on top of you, I have also hired another Geohound." Ryudo's eyebrows immediately rose, and even Skye looked up as soon as Kosuke said that. People normally hated to hire one Geohound, but to hire two? That man had to be pretty desperate, he figured. And for Ryudo to actually be working with another Geohound, it was a first. He did not work that well with others...besides Skye.

"What, don't think I can handle the job?"

"Well...we have been having some troubles with a group of bandits, lately. They've been ransacking our village, and harassing our people. They are a large group, and I'm sure they'd prove to be difficult to one person alone. So, I thought it would be best to hire two of you," explained Kosuke.

Ryudo sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "Well, if that's gonna be part of the contract, then I guess I'm okay with it," he muttered. He could have sworn Kosuke let out a sigh of relief. He eyed the Village Chief skeptically with his deep-blue orbs. Kosuke was not telling the whole truth, Ryudo was sure of it. He was about to press the matter further when there was a quick knock at the door.

"Aika, would you please get that?" he called out to his maid.

"Of course, sir," came her response from the other room.

Ryudo stared at Kosuke oddly. There he was, sitting not too far away from the door, and yet he called for his maid to get it? Sometimes—rather, most of the time—he could hardly understand other people at all. They waited while the maid quickly went to the door.

She opened it and curtsied to the person who was at it. Sitting at the place he was, Ryudo could not see who it was. The conversation between the maid and the person was not audible from where Ryudo sat. Soon, the maid stepped to the side and held out her arm to the living room, much like she had done to Ryudo. The person walked in, and the brunet immediately was able to tell he was the Geohound they were waiting for.

Ryudo studied the man. He wore black boots, like Ryudo's, they too had had buckles on them, just not as many. He had a broadsword strapped to his waist, around the same as Ryudo's sword. He wore black pants and a dark-blue tunic that was tucked loosely into a black belt. That blue top was over a long-sleeved black shirt, and at the end of his arms he wore bracers and gloves. When Ryudo looked at his face, most of it was covered by a black mask that his everything from his nose down. He also wore a headband, and the black cloak he wore was attached to that, hiding even more of his face in its shadows. The only distinguishing features that could be seen was the man's dark-blue hair—which made Ryudo recall something that he did not want to remember—and his sharp, amethyst eyes.

Ryudo could not help but stare at those eyes. They held a sorrow in them, a pain, a pain similar to what Ryudo felt. The man stared back at him with a cold, emotionless stare. Ryudo felt surprisingly apprehensive. There, standing just at the edge of the room, was another Geohound.

Someone else like Ryudo.

Something gave a soft chirp, but not that of a bird's. Peering around the black material that hid the sides of the man's face was a little golden head. A lizard-like head. The man walked forward and gave a curt bow of his head to the Village Chief.

"You can call me Satoshi, and this is Hisashi." He titled his head to indicate the golden dragon that was no larger than Skye. Kosuke nodded approvingly and gestured to an empty couch.

"I am Kosuke. These two are Ryudo and Skye," he introduced them. Ryudo waved his hand once in greeting. "And I thank you for coming so soon. I must say that I'm a little surprised that you both showed up on the same day," he chuckled softly. Satoshi grunted slightly in his response. As he walked past them, he stared at Ryudo again with his pain-filled gaze. The brunet was greatly intimidated by that gaze. Even though Satoshi appeared to be the same age he was, he seemed to hold a wisdom well beyond the reach of his years; out of the reach for _any_ human for that matter. He looked away when he sat at the edge of the couch that was closest to the two of them.

"As I'm sure you've noticed, you will not be taking this job alone."  
Satoshi glanced over at Ryudo. Sighing, he sunk lower into the couch. "I don't normally work with other people, but is this one of the conditions for getting paid?" he asked as he looked back at Kosuke. Ryudo felt a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. The Geohound Satoshi was one that seemed to get down to business right away, and Ryudo liked that.

"It is. I have already explained to Ryudo that I believe this will be something that neither of you would be able to do on your own."

Satoshi scoffed softly. "Don't think our skills are good enough on our own?" Ryudo nearly chuckled. That had been the same thought that had passed through Ryudo's mind when Kosuke told him that.

"I mean no disrespect..."

"Well, I'm afraid to say that it is an insult to our skill. Hiring two Geohounds is like hiring two tailors to work on the same shirt for you. It just doesn't happen." Satoshi began to stand to leave. He glance over at Ryudo again. "Since you got here first, you may have this job." He was liking this Satoshi person even more.

"Wait!" called out Kosuke as Satoshi began to leave. "Please. It is a large group of bandits. I doubt even one Geohound can handle them; they are very ruthless. If it's gold you're worried about, I'm paying you both as if we had only wanted to hire one of you." That got Satoshi's attention.

He turned around to look at them, a hand on his hip. "Bandits, huh? I admit, a large group can be difficult...if they coordinate to work together." He scratched to the side of his eye, looking over at Ryudo. "You okay with this? Don't mind being forced to work with another Geohound?"

Ryudo shook his head. "Well, I do _prefer_ to work alone, but I'll put up with it if I have to."

The blue-haired man closed his eyes as he sighed, dropping his hand back down to his side. "Your enthusiasm is overwhelming," he muttered sarcastically. Opening his eyes, he switched looks between Ryudo and Kosuke. "Well, I guess I'll help," he sighed as he went back to sit down.

"So, what's the contract going to be?" asked Ryudo after Satoshi got seated.

Kosuke began to explain to them what had been going on. In the past, a group of bandits attacked their village fairly often. Satoshi put in a quick comment on how the village seemed like it had not been touched in a while. Kosuke explained to him that it had been a while since the bandits' last attack, so they had been able to rebuild. There had been reports from villagers that the bandits were being spotted again.

"What I need is for you to stop the bandits from attacking our village again."  
Ryudo scratched his cheek. "You mean kill them?"

Kosuke nearly flinched when Ryudo said that. "...I wouldn't say it like that."

"But that _is_ what you want us to do, right?" he checked again.

Kosuke sighed in defeat, nodding his head numbly. "For the safety of our village, they must not return!"=" he told them firmly. Ryudo and Satoshi sighed. Once again, they were being hired to do the dirty work.

"Okay, so we kill the bandits off, and then we'll get paid?" summarized Satoshi.

"Yes. You will also be given a free room at the inn for when you need rest. Once it is all done, we will calculate what your pay shall be."

Satoshi nodded his head slightly in approval. That was a fairly good deal. Getting paid at the end of the work was normal for them, though there was the odd person who paid upfront. "I guess I'm okay with that," he muttered as he rubbed his neck. "On one condition." Ryudo and Kosuke looked at him. "What's the other reason you want us to do this?" he asked, resting his chin on his hand.

_So, he noticed it, too,_ thought Ryudo. As Kosuke explained what had been going on, and what he wanted them to do, he had seemed rather edgy, like he was hiding something.

Kosuke coughed nervously. "Uh...well..." he fumbled to find words.

"We don't have eternity, you know," remarked Ryudo after Kosuke did not explain right away.

Clearing his throat, Kosuke was finally able to say what he needed to. "Well...my daughter was kidnapped by the bandits not long before I sent out for you two," he told them. Both of the Geohounds eyebrows rose. So that had been what was troubling him: his daughter.

"So did you not want us to rescue her...? Or was it something else?" questioned Satoshi.

"Ah, well...I just thought...since you were going to hunt down the bandits anyway, I thought her being rescued would be a bonus."

"Will we get a bonus in pay?" asked Ryudo, smirking. They both figured the reason he had not asked them of it in the first place was so that he would not have to pay them more gold.

Kosuke sighed. He had been pushed into a corner, well, more he had done it by himself by not explaining everything in the first place. "Well, if you are able to bring her back safely, I suppose I can see to it that you get a bonus." Ryudo's smirk widened as the two Geohounds rose up.

He held out his hand to the Village Chief. "Destroy the bandits and rescue your daughter. Just leave it to us." Kosuke took his hand loosely, shaking it quickly so he would not have to hold it any longer than necessary. He shook Satoshi's hand just as quickly to seal the deal with them. "Any tips on where the bandits are?" asked Ryudo.

"They've been spotted to the south of Ackrynn. I suggest you start there." The Geohounds nodded in agreement. Not really wanting to spend any longer with the Village Chief than needed, especially since he did not seem to overly enjoy their company, the two of them left the house without any troubles.

With the door closed behind them, Ryudo crossed his arms and looked at Satoshi, finally able to get a good look at him. He was only slightly shorter than the brunet, and he held himself much like Ryudo did. He wondered how good his skills with the blade were. He hoped they were good since he was forced to work with him. Many questions plagued the young Geohound about Satoshi. What did he used to do? Where was his place of origin? Where had he been able to get a little dragon as his companion? And most of all, what made his eyes give off that pained looked; the same pain that Ryudo had felt for three long years.

But as much as he wanted to know, he did not ask.

Ryudo was someone who wanted to forget his own past, the past that probably gave him that same pained look. If he was not about to tell anyone else, then why should they tell him? It was not his business, so he pushed that matter to the back of his mind.

"So, Ryudo, was it?" asked Satoshi, titling his head to look at him. Ryudo gave a quick nod. "Ready to go kick those bandits' butts?" he asked, the corners of his eyes barely crinkling as he smirked beneath his mask.

Ryudo let out a quick laugh. "You bet."

:::

They had been walking around to the area south of Ackrynn for a few hours, scanning for any signs that might lead them to the bandits' base. Even though Ryudo was relatively good in tracking—he needed to be for some jobs he was hired for—he paled in comparison to Satoshi's skills. The blue-haired man squatted down to study some tracks that Ryudo had not even noticed.

"These are old, but there have been more of them, fresher ones scattered throughout them, so it's safe to assume we're nearing their base," he informed Ryudo, brushing his hands together as he stood back up.

The brunet nodded approvingly. "Think we'll be able to handle this in one day?" he asked, coming up to Satoshi's side. The other Geohound took a small step to the side, not liking being that close to someone else. He liked his space.

"Depends on how many there are, and whether or not they seem organized.," he sighed as he brushed his bangs to the side. "If they seem pathetically weak—which they very well could be—perhaps we could take them on right now. But if they are the opposite of that, then I strongly suggest that we wait for the right moment to strike."

"Yikes. Do you always make everything so technical?" asked Ryudo, raising an eyebrow at his temporary partner in business.

Satoshi sighed, flicking some dirt off his pants. "Most of the time I think all that stuff to myself. But since I have to work with you this time, I thought it would be better to hear what I had planned," he muttered nonchalantly.

Ryudo gave a quiet "Ahh." The little gold dragon, Hisashi, peered around the back of Satoshi's head to look at Ryudo.

"Don't worry about him. Trust me, he can be a lot ruder if he wanted to be."

Ryudo's jaw nearly dropped. "You can talk?" It had been the first time Hisashi had spoken since Ryudo had seen him.

"Don't act like it's anything new, Ryudo," came Skye from his shoulder. The bird looked over to the little dragon. "You two are also fairly lucky as well. Ryudo seems to be quite the gentleman on this job. Normally he's not very pleasant. Sometimes I even wonder how I'm able to put up with him."

"Watch it, Skye. Shouldn't you be slamming your head into a window, or something, by now?" Ryudo glared at his friend.

Skye clicked his beak in annoyance at the comment and rolled his eyes. "See what I mean?" Ryudo glanced back over at Satoshi when he began to chuckle, along with Hisashi. He had a surprisingly soft chuckle.

He groaned, "Don't tell me you're taking _his_ side."

Satoshi immediately stopped chuckling and glanced over at Ryudo. Shaking his head slowly, he continued on his way through the few trees and hills in hopes of finding the bandits that afternoon. Ryudo stared after him for a moment before catching back up.

"So, Satoshi, how old are you?" asked Skye, still sitting on Ryudo's shoulder.

"I'm seventeen," he grunted a reply.

"Interesting. Ryudo here is the same age."

"Hey, I don't need you blurting out my life story!" interjected Ryudo.

Skye stared calmly at the human. "I wasn't. I was merely informing Satoshi of your age. And I was going to leave it at that." He clicked his beak when he finished.

Satoshi sighed. "Are you two always fighting?"

"No, not always. But, now that you mention it, we do seem to disagree a fair bit," answered Ryudo, frowning in thought.

"Huh. I never would have guessed," Satoshi remarked sarcastically, moving to the side a bit more in case Ryudo wanted to attack him or something. They remained in silence as Satoshi followed the tracks, getting closer to the bandits' base. Ryudo may have liked Satoshi a bit—oespecially since he seemed a fair bit like himself—but he still did not trust him.

And he would not be surprised if Satoshi did not trust him back.

That was the life of a Geohound. To work alone. Both of them just so happened to have small companions that kept them company.

Their shadows were getting longer and the sun was beginning to set. Suddenly, Satoshi held his hand out to stop Ryudo.

"What is it?" he whispered. Satoshi glanced at him and motioned for him to follow. Walking ahead slowly, they began to hear noises of more people. Lots of people. More like lots of men. Satoshi crouched down behind an old fallen log that was beginning to rot, Ryudo crouching just to his side. They peered over the log and the few bugs that were crawling over it and saw what they had been looking for.

There before them was the camp of bandits.

They began to study the group of men they were hired to defeat. They seemed rather brutish. A large group made up of large, tough-looking men. Most had scraggly beards, and bathing did not seem to be high on their list. Most wore dark pants and shirts, with armor at some essential places, more than what Ryudo and Satoshi wore, but less than a knight. Basic tents were set up near the cliff face, ones that could probably fit four our five each. Both of them knew that it would be a difficult fight to win.

"I counted fifty-two. How about you?" whispered Satoshi.

"Fifty-five. But who knows if they have sentries or not." He rubbed his head in thought. "Hey, Skye. Mind looking around for us? See if you can find any sentries on the look-out."

"Right away." The exotic bird flew off without another word, gliding silently through the air. Hisashi hopped off of Satoshi's shoulder and onto the ground, eventually climbing up onto the log and looking over as well.

"Think you guys can handle them?" asked the small dragon.

Satoshi pushed his mask down slightly so he could scratch his cheek. "Maybe, if we play our cards right," he muttered, fixing his mask to make sure it was comfortable again. The bandits appeared to have some order, or else they would not have been in such a large group. Some of the men attended the horses, while others began preparing a meal for the group of men. Both of them pondered over what the best course of action would be.

"How about a sneak-attack when they're asleep?" asked Ryudo. Satoshi's eyebrows rose, surprised that he had not thought of that in the first place.

"You know, that's not a bad plan. Wait for them to sleep, take out the sentries, find Kosuke's daughter, then finish them all off in one night," he ran over the plan with approval. "It might actually work," he muttered.

"Hey, worked for me in the past. What do you normally do in situation like this?" asked Ryudo, not relaxing for a second in case they were found out.

Finished with studying the bandits, Satoshi turned around to rest his back against the log, sitting far enough down that they would not see his head. Ryudo did the same thing, and Hisashi plopped down between them. "Well, normally I don't have to take them all down. "But for something like this, I would normally pick them off one by one to create confusion; Hisashi comes in handy there. While they're panicking, I take down the leader quite easily, then the rest drop like flies."

Ryudo nodded in approval. "Interesting. Sometimes I have Skye create a distraction, and I go in and do whatever needs to be done." Even Satoshi nodded in approval. Finished whispering, they waited with for Skye to return in silence, both of them straining their senses in case any of the bandits tried to sneak up on them.

They waited. And waited. Finally, after many minutes of listening to the going-ons of the camp behind them—and with the odd glance to see what was happening—Skye finally swooped back down and landed in between them.

"I counted ten sentries in a ring around their camp. We're actually already past their patrolling area, so you should be safe here," he informed them before cleaning one of his wings.

Ryudo tapped a finger to his mouth. "Ten sentries? So that's over sixty bandits in all. Pretty large group for all the way out here," he thought aloud, whispering again. "So what do you say to waiting for them to sleep, kill five sentries each, then meet back here before we go into the camp?"

Satoshi nodded once, peering over the log again. "That should work. Then we'll try to kill them silently." He winced slightly at a bad thought. "If they wake up, that would prove to be a problem."

"Well, let's hope they either drink a whole lot of alcohol, or they eat lots of Kuko Berries to get the same effect," muttered Ryudo after glancing at the camp again.

"They're bandits, I wouldn't be surprised if they did that every night," he remarked dryly. Satoshi shrugged slightly and Ryudo chuckled slightly at his comment. They began to wait in silence once again.

:::

Night was falling, and they could hear a large fire crackling behind them at the center of the camp. They got a fraction of the warm light from where they sat. Ryudo stretched out his legs and arms, being careful not to be too loud or to raise his arms up. Satoshi had pulled out his blade a while ago, and had been making little designs in the log behind them. Ryudo removed the pack from his back and got out some food.

Skye cocked his head at Ryudo who looked down at him. "Aren't you meant to be picking for worms, or something?" The bird ruffled up his feathers slightly at the comment, but did not respond. "Well, don't think you're gonna get some of my meal," he whispered. Hisashi was not there at the moment, he had left to go find his own meal. Satoshi had said something about it probably being a rodent or some small animal.

Ryudo grimaced thinking about having to eat something like that before he looked over to Satoshi. He was leaning his head against the log, eyes closed, and with his sword in hand, ready for any surprises. "You going to eat?" asked Ryudo before taking a bite from a roll of bread. Satoshi slowly opened his amethyst eyes and turned his head to look at Ryudo. After a few seconds of just staring at him, he shook his head in decline. "Why not?" he asked after swallowing.

The blue-haired Geohound shrugged. "Not hungry at the moment."

Ryudo smirked slightly after tearing off another bite. "Oh, you just don't want me to see what you look like behind that mask," he commented like he was correct. Satoshi sighed and look away while Ryudo continued to look at him. "Why do you wear that thing, anyway? Do you have scars? Or some hideous deformity?"

"Careful, Ryudo," warned Skye. He was the only one who was barely able to get Ryudo out of trouble.

"I don't want people to know who I really am. At least that way I always have something to fall back to if I want some peace and quiet," he answered with a shrug.

Ryudo swallowed his last bite of the roll. "What about your name? I mean, you gave your name easily before we took this job," he pointed out.

Satoshi looked back at Ryudo as he raised his right eyebrow. "Now when did I ever say it was my real name?"

"But back at the—"  
Satoshi shook his head, _tsk_ing softly. "All I said was he could call me Satoshi. I never said it was my name."

Ryudo felt like he had missed the most obvious thing in the world. After finishing his quick meal, he looked over the log and saw most of the men were almost done their own meals. Hopefully, in just a little bit longer, they would finish and go to sleep.

That was when they would strike.

:::

Crouching behind the log, Ryudo looked over the camp. Most of the men had went back inside the tents, but a few had gotten so drunk while dinner that they had passed out on the ground. Satoshi shook his head in disbelief.

"Maybe this will be easier than we thought," muttered Ryudo as he studied the many tents.

"Perhaps." Throwing a stone far away from them—which resulted in an unnatural thunk as it hit a tree—Satoshi waited to see if any of them awoke. They waited, and when no one rose, they stood up. "I'll take the five on the right, you take the five on the left. We'll meet back here when done," instructed Satoshi. Nodding, they both went their separate ways.

Both of them found their five sentries to be extremely easy. A little too easy for their tastes. They did like a challenge every now and then, and the sentries were not giving them a challenge. With ten of the bandits down, they returned to where they had been waiting at roughly the same time. Satoshi was wiping his blade on a dirty rag, most likely dirty from all the blood that had been on it before.

Ryudo twirled his blade around successfully. "Now the fun begins," he said softly with a devilish grin, looking out to the bandits' camp. Smoothly, Satoshi placed his blade in its scabbard, not having to look while doing it since it was now like second nature. "So, split up and search the tents to find his daughter?" he guessed.

Satoshi flicked his wrist and looked to Ryudo. "No," he said sternly.

Ryudo looked back at him in shock. "What?"

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, having to do that for the sentries was bad enough. I have no idea what you would do on your own."

Ryudo gave a wry chuckle and smirked. "What's the matter? Don't trust me?" he asked jokingly, although he was positive that was the right reason. By the look on Satoshi's face, he had not found it to be a joke.

"That is precisely the reason, Ryudo." He placed a hand on his hip. "It's my skills that are for hire, not my trust. And even if it was, you're not the one who hired me," he said coldly. In most cases, Ryudo was used to a rude comment like that to him, and most of the time, he probably deserved it. But for some reason, when Satoshi had said it, it hurt him ever so slightly, when he had expected it not to hurt him at all. There was just something...different about Satoshi.

"Well, well, Ryudo," came Skye's deep voice when he did not say anything in response. "Looks like he can be as rude as you sometimes. Are all Geohounds this rude?"

"Shut it," warned Ryudo as he glanced over the camp once more.

None of the bandits had even stirred while they were away. Extremely pleased that it was turning out rather easy—easy jobs were always a nice break for them—they jumped over the rotting log and walked into the camp without any problems. Satoshi was tempted to whistle as they made their way through the few sleeping bandits. Many of the men were drooling, their breath heavy with alcohol. One burped in his sleep, his breath was so awful that the Geohounds ended up coughing at the stench.

Still coughing lightly, Ryudo pushed back the flaps of the first tent they reached. Only sleeping men were inside. They systematically went through most of the tents until they came to one that appeared to be the one for the leader of the group. Ryudo and Satoshi shared a glance at each other before the brunet pulled back the flap.

Inside was a large, brutish man, clearly the leader of the bandits. His snoring was so loud that the Geohounds wondered how anyone else was able to sleep. Behind the ruthless-looking bandit, was a young girl with flowing golden hair bound to the pole of the tent. Remnants of tears stained her cheeks, and her dress was ripped to a great extent. The two vagabonds stared at her with pity, wondering how badly she had been violated. Stepping lightly as possible, the brunet walked past the bandit, and knelt down next to the girl. He placed a hand over her mouth and she jerked awake.

A muffled yell escaped her and more tears began to flow.

Ryudo tried to hush her up, keeping a firm grip on her mouth. "We're here to get you out of here. So keep quiet!" he hissed at her, trying to stare her down.

The girl whimpered and her eyes darted over to the entrance where Satoshi stood. He brought a finger up to his mask to tell her to be quiet. Still panic-stricken, her attempts at screaming ceased, and she finally calmed down. With a quiet sigh, Ryudo dropped his hand from her mouth.

Pulling forth a dagger of his own, Ryudo sliced through the girl's bindings. Rubbing her red wrists, she stood with a lot of help. With her being pulled along, they both kept quiet as they stepped past the sleeping bandit. For a moment he stirred, and all of them held their breaths as they watched and waited. The two men sighed in relief when they saw it was a false alarm, while the girl let out a hiccup as a few more tears fell free.

Satoshi pulled the flap to the side, allowing the other two to pass through safely.

Suddenly, their hopes of an easy night vanished as the girl stepped on a large branch, sending a loud crack through the night.

Stopping dead in their tracks, the Geohounds groaned. They knew what would happen next. They turned around in time to see the bandit leader rising up, scratching his head, then noticing the girl was at the entrance to his tent. He woke up suddenly, yelling loudly as he grabbed a battle ax. Looking back outside, they could see the rest of the bandits slowly awakening. Even the most drunken of men were beginning to wake. The girl whimpered between the two Geohounds as the leader yelled out a command to capture the three of them.

"Time to run!" commanded Satoshi. Grabbing roughly onto the girl's other hand, he began to rush through the rising bandits.

They were about half way to the rotting log they had been hiding behind when Ryudo let go of the girl and stopped. Drawing his sword out, he turned to face the oncoming men. "Make sure she gets out of here!" he shouted back to Satoshi.

He did not stop when Ryudo did, he just kept on running. Ignoring the girl's sobbings, he pulled her in front of him when he reached the log. He called out for his dragon while the sound of Ryudo fighting filled the air. "Make sure she gets back to the village!" he ordered the little dragon after picking the girl up and placing her on the other side of the log. His trustworthy companion gave an affirmative response before flying in front of the girl.

"Come on! Let's go!" he had to shout at her over the noise of the fight. The girl was frozen in place with fear.

"Start running, you fool!" Satoshi yelled, drawing his sword. The girl whimpered once more before dashing off, Hisashi following to make sure she stayed safe. The blue-haired man continued to keep an eye on them until they could no longer be seen. He turned around to join in the fight against the bandits.

Only he joined a moment too late.

After he spun around, a rough blade pierced his left shoulder. He cried out in pain as the sword went through everything, tearing through the other side. Cringing, he brought his broadsword up with his free hand and chopped off the man's head, barely able to move his sword with one arm. Both of them fell to their knees, but the bandit continued to fall until he was a dead heap on the ground. Gritting his teeth, Satoshi pulled the blade from his shoulder, flinging it as far away as possible. With heavy panting, and his left arm practically useless, he managed to stand.

Bringing his head to look up, he saw half a dozen more bandits racing towards him. Blood oozing from his wound, he gripped his sword with both hands. To use his broadsword effectively, one needed two hands to perform most attacks. The only way he would make it through the night is if he used both hands. But doing that—resulting in more blood loss—might also end up with his death.

But he was not about to give up fighting.

He charged at the oncoming bandits, slicing through the three that were closest like they were tissue paper. Most of the time, his skills in fighting were so superior that he easily took down anyone who opposed him in his job. But with his injured arm, the fight with the bandits was more balanced than previous battles he had been in.

Not too far away from him, Ryudo was taking on a large percentage of the bandits. Even Skye was fighting. The sentries they had fought against earlier had been extremely easy, but fighting a large mass of them at once was proving to be more of a challenge. No matter how many of them he was able to cut down, more kept rising up behind their dead comrades to take their place.

Dashing forward, he performed one of his more simpler attacks. "Take that! Tenseiken Slash!" he yelled out, killing five more men in that one strike.

Ryudo glanced over his shoulder and saw Satoshi taking care one of the bandits at a slower rate than he expected. In that moment he saw the left side of his clothes stained with blood, and he immediately knew why. He was very badly injured. The brunet was actually surprised that Satoshi could keep on fighting like he was with that wound. No longer able to study Satoshi's fighting style, Ryudo quickly went back to fight as many of the bandits as possible.

After a long and tiring battle with the ruthless bandits, only one of them was left standing. The leader of the bandits. Satoshi was able to get to Ryudo's side, his vision already going dark from the loss of blood. He gripped his sword with one hand for the moment, glaring at the brutish leader.

The bandit lord swung his battle ax to intimidate them. Neither of them yielded their ground. "Sure you're able to do this?" whispered Ryudo to Satoshi.

"I'll...be fine," he panted through heavy breaths. "It'll take more...than that to stop me." He gave a weak chuckle. If he had not been wearing his black mask, Ryudo would have seen the painful wince that Satoshi wore.

"You will pay for what you've done," growled the barbarous brute. Yelling at the top of his lungs a battle cry that would have shaken up even a well-seasoned warrior, he charged at them. Before he swung wildly, the two Geohounds jumped opposite ways to dodge the strike.

"Satoshi! Now's our chance!" shouted Ryudo while the bandit lord tried to remove his ax from the ground. Ryudo ran for the bandit lord, performing his Tenseiken Slash once again while Satoshi performed a special move of his own.

"You're much too slow," he taunted. "Double Slash!"

With a bombardment of three strikes at once, the bandit lord fell to the ground, dead. The two Geohounds, breathing heavily, surveyed the camp, making sure that none were left to fight.

Ryudo quickly cleaned off his blade before sheathing it. "Nicely done. We should get paid a good amount for this," he commented as he walked up to his one-time partner.

Satoshi grinned beneath his mask, using his sword to support his weight. "Yeah... One night...we did pretty good." Ryudo and Skye suddenly yelled out his name when he collapsed to the ground, nearly out cold.

"Hey! Snap out of it!" ordered Ryudo, kneeling down to help.

"Damn wound..." he muttered sourly. He turned his head to look at Ryudo, his vision growing even darker. "If I don't make it out of this...feel free to have my share of the gold." He gave a one-sided grin under his mask.

"As much of a tempting offer that might be, you _are_ gonna make it out of this," he said firmly, trying to convince himself as much as Satoshi.

A wry chuckle escaped the blue-haired man. "Concern from a...Geohound like you? That's a first," he muttered before he blacked-out completely.

Muttering a curse under his breath, Ryudo was quick to act. He had to get Satoshi back to the village; it was his only chance of survival.

:::

The darkness of night clung to everything as Ryudo carried Satoshi back to the village. Ryudo was never one to do something dishonorable and so he was not about to leave Satoshi behind. Even though he did not look it—especially since he normally made crude comments about most things—he did have very high standards of justice. It was all because of how he grew up. Though at one point in his past, roughly three years ago, nearly everything he believed, put his faith in, had been shattered beyond repair. His look became cold as he reluctantly remembered those times.

He burst through the doors to the inn, walking as fast as he could while carrying Satoshi to the front desk. The man who was working stared oddly at them, his face paling when he saw all the blood that was on Satoshi's clothes. "What happened...?" he dared to ask.

Ryudo grunted. _I don't have time for this!_ he thought to himself. "Where are our rooms? We're the Geohounds that your chief hired!" he informed the man, rather hastily.

"Uh..." The man blanked for a second. "Room fourteen," he finally answered, holding out their key. snatched it from him with his free hand. Carrying Satoshi along, he carefully climbed the stairs, searching frantically for their room. Nearly forcing the door open in his haste, he quickly brought Satoshi to the bed that was closest to the door. The wounded Geohound did not even stir in the slightest. Taking off his pack, Ryudo rummaged through his belongings until he found some dried herbs and clean bandages. Skye sat at the base of the bed, watching his companion nearly run to Satoshi's left side.

"Damn it..." he cursed when he pulled back the torn sleeve to look at the wound. "It went all the way through." He noticed it that for the first time. Rushing into the bathroom, he brought out a wet washcloth. He tried to clean the wound as best as possible for the moment.

"I'll go look for Hisashi." Without even waiting for Ryudo to respond, he opened the window with his beak, and was on his way.

After placing several leaves of the medicinal herb on Satoshi's cleaned wound, he wrapped the bandages tightly around his shoulder. Sighing, and hardly able to stand on his own two feet from fatigue, he sat down on the edge of the other bed. He waited for Skye to return for as long as he could—which was not that long—before he lay back against his bed and quickly fell asleep, not even bothering to remove his boots.

:::

After an empty sleep, one with no dreams, and it felt as though he did not get any real rest at all, Ryudo slowly awoke. With his eyelids heavy with fatigue, he blinked several times before he was able to focus properly. Sighing, he got out of the bed and dusted off his pants.

"Morning, sleepyhead," muttered Skye. Ryudo glared softly at his friend before he remembered what happened last night.

He quickly went over to Satoshi's side after getting new bandages. The old bandages were very red from the wound, but it appeared to be healing over. Once Ryudo wrapped the new bandages around it, he noticed Hisashi curled up on Satoshi's pillow. The little dragon seemed fast asleep, his tail twitching once and a while.

"You know, he has surprisingly delicate features," commented the bird, flying over to Ryudo's shoulder. He nodded slowly, noticing, finally, that Satoshi's mask had shifted slightly. Now, more of his face was revealed to them. Ryudo also noticed that he was sweating slightly. Placing a hand on his forehead, he could feel how clammy he now was, and that he now had a fever.

"Dammit. Looks like the wound got infected after all," he muttered, pulling his hand away and clenching it into a fist. Moving hastily, he wet a cloth and placed it on Satoshi's forehead. He moaned softly, stirring only slightly.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Skye.

Ryudo paused for a moment. "I'm gonna go finish up our business with Kosuke. At least that way it will be out of the way," he responded with a sigh.

"Good idea. You've done all you can do for Satoshi already. He needs his rest," finished Skye. With one final glance at the wounded Satoshi, Ryudo left their room to head back to Kosuke's house.

:::

A while after Ryudo had left, Satoshi eventually began to stir. With his amethyst eyes fluttering open, he immediately winced when he felt the pain in his shoulder. Instincts kicking in, he grabbed the wound with his hand.

"Ouch...ungh," he groaned, opening his eyes again. Attempting to ignore the pain, he pushed himself up, glancing around the unfamiliar setting. "Amelia..?" he asked, but his voice no longer sounded like a mans. It sounded female. "Ame—" Satoshi breathed in quickly. "Oh...right." Sighing, he brought his hand up and rubbed his face. Suddenly he gasped. He had felt that his mask had slipped completely down. "I'm—" He was cut off by someone coming in the door.

Ryudo immediately froze when he saw Satoshi sitting up, seeing his face for the first time. He took a hesitant step forward, numbly closing the door behind him. "Satoshi...you're..." he whispered before Satoshi closed his eyes and chanted some words. A bright light suddenly radiated from Satoshi, nearly blinding Ryudo and Skye. When they were able to see again, they gasped at what they saw.

The person who sat in Satoshi's place was a young woman.

She no longer wore her cloak so that it hid her face. Her blue hair went down to the bottom of her shoulder blades and was gathered up loosely near the bottom. The bandages on her shoulder were no longer there, and it seemed as though she never had the wound in the first place. She brushed some of her dark-blue bangs to the side with her left hand, smiling in embarrassment to Ryudo. "Told you my name wasn't Satoshi," she chuckled softly. Hisashi hopped up onto her shoulder and the woman scratched his chin.

Still staring at her with surprise, Ryudo would have fallen down if the door had not been behind him. Skye flew from his shoulder and landed on the base of her bed. "So...you were really a woman all this time?" asked Skye, for Ryudo did not seem able to use his mouth for the moment.

She nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Ryudo eventually found his voice. "Why did you pretend to be a man?" he asked, walking over to sit on the side of his bed.

"You're kidding, right? You, of all people, should realize the answer to that." They stared at her, not being able to answer. She sighed after a moment. "It's hard enough to get a job as a Geohound as it is, seeing as people hate us. You honestly think they would hire me if they knew I was a girl?" She raised an eyebrow to him. He grunted softly in response. For some reason he could not explain, he was relieved to find out Satoshi was really a girl.

"So what's your real name? Or don't you still trust me enough to tell me?" he asked while smirking.

Sighing, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "My name is San. And you'd better not go blabbing it about." She glared softly to show she was serious.

He brought his hands up in defense. "Okay! Okay! I won't tell anybody. Not as though I have anyone, other than Skye, to tell it to." There was silence between them for a while before Ryudo remembered why he had left their room in the first place. "Since I thought you would be out for much longer, I went ahead and got our pay."

He took one of the two pouches he was carrying and tossed it to San. After opening it, San studied what was inside. Pleased, she closed it back up. "Not bad. What I would expect for what we did," she muttered. Stretching, she stood up. "Well, I don't like to overstay my welcome, so I guess I'll be leaving now."

Ryudo laughed softly, thinking at first she was kidding. "What? You serious?" he questioned while standing.

She stared back at him, her face showing that she was not kidding. "Yeah." Before either Ryudo or Skye could respond, she brought her hands together and chanted some slightly different words. The bright light appeared again, and this time when it faded away, Satoshi was standing in front of them.

"Why'd—"

"Can't exactly have me coming up to the room looking like this, then my real self going down without drawing at least _some_ suspicion," he said nonchalantly. The illusion of Satoshi was complete, in looks and in voice. It was almost unsettling for Ryudo.

:::

When they came to the edge of the small village, they stopped. Neither of them got even the smallest thanks in gratitude from the villagers for destroying the bandits. Over their years while working as Geohounds, they had gotten used to it. The only people who ever showed thanks were little kids—if their parents were not around—or the odd person who was nice to any stranger. Exhaling, Ryudo turned to look at the illusion of Satoshi.

"Well, it was fun to work with another Geohound. Maybe we'll bump into each other again someday," he said.

"Who knows. But, whatever may happen, this is a job I won't easily forget," Satoshi smirked beneath the mask. "And now I'll have to work even harder now I know there is another adequate Geohound out there."

"Hey! Who're _you_ calling 'adequate'? _You're_ the one that got injured."

"Hey, lighten up, I was only kidding." He waved a hand to dismiss the matter. "Well, see ya." That wave changed into a quick gesture of farewell. Not even waiting for a response from Ryudo, he turned and left. Hisashi looked back at them, and waved farewell with his tail.

Skye waited until they were far enough away that they could not hear him to speak. "Maybe we'll bump into each other again some day?" he asked the line back while Ryudo headed off in the opposite direction of the other Geohound.

"Hey, it could happen."

"You just want to see San again, don't you?" he asked, cheekily.

Ryudo rolled his eyes. "As if. I just meant that if we ever run into the situation where we have to work with someone else again, I hope it would be her. She's a good partner to work with."

"She was a beautiful looking girl, though. It's a shame she has to pass as a man to work."

Ryudo glanced over his shoulder, barely able to make out the blue-haired Geohound. "Yeah..."


	2. The Wings Of Valmar

**II**

**_The Wings Of Valmar_**

It had been a few months since Ryudo had worked with San to defeat the bandits, and they had not run across each other since then. Sometimes, Ryudo found himself thinking back to that job. Even more refined, he found himself thinking back to San. He wanted to know more about her. Though he knew that would never happen if they never saw each other again.

He forced his mind to stop wondering about such pointless things. He had to focus on the task at hand, and not let himself get distracted. He would have wiped the sweat from his brow if he was not hanging onto a rope for dear life. The breeze provided some comfort as he tried to shift his weight. Some rocks beneath his feet began to loosen, and he immediately stopped moving.

"Don't let me down, Skye," he whispered.

Exhaling slowly, he looked down to what lay beneath him. A giant dragonoid monster was standing below him, not taking notice to the young man...at least not yet. Ryudo grimaced when his hold on the rope slipped a little, and he fell down an inch. The few rocks from before were dislodged completely and they began to tumble down. He grimaced when they landed not too far away from the monster, and the creature noticed.

Sniffing the air, the green-skinned beast was about to look up when five more of the monsters joined him from the nearby woods. A sigh of relief escaped Ryudo. _That was a close one!_ he thought, greatly relieved that the monster did not look up. The monsters proceeded to talk in a series of hisses, growls, and snaps. They were cut off by three large explosions in the forest. The original dragonoid roared, signaling to the woods with his club. Roaring in response, the five ran back to the forest they had just come from.

Ryudo's lips curled in a smirk. Now was his chance.

He completely let go of the rope, jumping down to the ground. He landed just to the side of the seven-foot tall beast, drawing his sword before it even noticed him. Yelling out a battle-cry, Ryudo jumped up and sliced the monster, nearly cleaving it in two. The tall monster cried out in pain, falling to the ground before it had even risen its club. After sheathing his sword, he rummaged through the loot the beast had been carrying. Finding what he wanted, he tossed the item up and down several times in triumph. Yet another job easily accomplished.

Or so he had thought.

Five spears pierced the ground inches away from him. The other dragonoids had returned, and they did not seem happy. They roared from the edge of the forest, dust swirling up behind them as they ran. Thinking fast, Ryudo ran for the edge of the cliff he was now on. When he got to the edge, he brought his fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. "Skye! Over here!" he called out as he jumped off the cliff.

The eagle-like bird, Skye, zoomed past the monsters, diving down over the edge of the cliff and Ryudo jumped off. When the beasts reached the cliff edge, they stopped running and peered over. Ryudo had grabbed onto Skye's legs, and was now being carried away by him.

Flapping a great deal more than usual, Skye was straining to keep both of them aloft. "Ryudo! I cannot take much more of this," he told his friend as his altitude was slowly decreasing while he flew over another part of the woods.

"Quit your bellyaching and fly, dammit!" Ryudo yelled up at him. An evil thought passed through Skye's head. Jerking in his flight slightly, it was enough to make Ryudo's grip slip. "WHOOOAAHHH!" he cried out in surprise as the tops of the trees came up at him at an extremely fast rate. Branches broke beneath his weight for a while before they began to break his fall. Skye continued to fly leisurely, watching the incident with amusement. Suddenly, a loud crunch was heard when Ryudo finally hit the ground.

:::

Events like that happened fairly often between Ryudo and Skye, so it was nothing too un-ordinary. No matter how many times it might have happened, Ryudo always got many bruises at the least. With the little incident behind them, Ryudo had met his client on a road, like the man had requested, once he got out of the woods. It had taken a while to get back, and the sun was already beginning to set.

"I finished the job, didn't I?" asked the Geohound, a hand on his hip. The old man glared at him, while his young daughter stood with no look of malice on her face.

"Yes, in your own crude fashion!" he snapped back, "Here... Take your money!" The crippled man tossed the bag to the ground between them.

"Father!" interjected the daughter, placing a hand on her father's arm. "Don't be rude..." She turned to face Ryudo and bowed her head in apology. "I'm so sorry..."

Ryudo waved his hand in dismissal. "Don't bother. I'm used to it."

"I won't have you speaking to HIS kind! Come. We're leaving." The old man stamped off before anyone could say otherwise. The daughter bowed once more in apology and thanks before trailing after her father. Walking forward, Ryudo picked up the bag of gold that had been left behind. He tossed it up in the air several times, feeling its weight.

"I cannot stand him. What a pompous fool." Skye ruffled his feathers up slightly in annoyance.

"It's work. Not a barrel of laughs," commented the young Geohound.

The bird cocked his head at him. "Well, well. You're growing up, Ryudo." A smirk could be heard in his tone of voice.

"Ugh. If it weren't for work, I'd have nothing to do with that guy! But...business is business," he muttered the sad truth. Turning around, he began to walk down the forest path.

"She was a fine looking girl, though," said Skye after a moment of silence between them.

Ryudo gave a one-sided smile. "I don't care for her, or the kindness of strangers."

"Right. You only care for that San from before."

The brunet shot an immediate glare at the bird. "Shut up."

:::

The sound of running water was heard not too far away. Off in the distance, a small waterfall flowed smoothly over short cliff. It had gotten slightly darker since they entered the woods again. From his shoulder, Skye looked ahead of them to a dead tree that was at the side of the path. Ryudo stopped walking, looked at his friend and asked, "What is it, Skye?"

"Ryudo, looks like we have another job." Jumping off his shoulder, Skye flew over to the branch of the tree that hung over the path. Ryudo followed where Skye was looking to and saw a note tied to the tree. He walked ahead and stood beneath the branch.

He sighed, running his hand through his hair, "Hey, not already... I'm still sore from that fall, no thanks to you." He shot a quick glare at Skye who registered his disapproval. The bird suddenly swooped down from his perch and began to peck at Ryudo's head. Nearly doubling over, Ryudo brought his arms up to protect his head. "OUCH! Okay! Okay! Skye, alright already!" he cried out in pain and surprise. He relaxed slightly, sighing, "It's good to have work, right?"

Content with the remark, Skye stopped harassing Ryudo and flew back to the branch. Rubbing his aching head, he walked up and retrieved the note. Being careful not to rip it, he opened it up and scanned what was written. He exhaled slowly. "It says...'The Church of Granas wants to hire you as a bodyguard.'" He rolled the letter back up, then he ran his hand through his hair in annoyance. "So, working for Granas, huh... Now I REALLY don't wanna do it."

Skye's expression was as close to a smirk as he could get. "A job's a job, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. That's what it means to be a Geohound."

Following the instructions in the letter, Ryudo continued on his way along the path towards a village at the end. Along the way, he had to kill several spider monsters, but compared to previous encounters, they proved to be easy battles. Eventually, he made it to the peaceful village of Carbo.

When he entered the place, he saw something that he did not normally see every day. A small group of Sisters were gathered around the entrance. There were six in total. One was a blond who was wearing a slightly different outfit than the rest, a redhead, one with green hair, a violet-haired girl, another blond that wore glasses, and the final one had pink hair. All but the blond with no glasses were standing in more of a group, talking to her. An older-looking woman was standing not too far behind the more isolated one.

The redhead spoke first. "Bye, Elena. See you later."

The one called Elena had a sad look on her face as she looked at the other five. "I am sorry, Tessa," she apologized to the redhead. "I would join you if I could. I wonder why I'm not permitted to leave with you..." she trailed off, bringing her hand up to her mouth in thought.

The redhead, Tessa, brushed some of her bangs to the side. "I guess your role is more important than ours. Don't worry, we'll do all the preparations for the ceremony."

Another of the four Sisters stepped up, the one with pink hair. She looked over at Tessa. "Tessa! We have to get going!" she reminded the young woman.

The redhead looked over her shoulder at the girl. "Oh, all right! See you later, Elena!" With a quick wave, she faced the three girls behind her. "Let's go."

The pink-haired girl quickly looked to the blond. "Elena, it's time for the service. You ought to return now."

She nodded. "Yes, you are right."

"Don't worry, we've hired a bodyguard. You'll catch up with us safely," informed the pink-haired girl.

"Please, take care of yourselves... And Tessa." She looked at the redhead. "I will see you later!" she said with a smile on her face. The five women smiled at Elena before waving farewell and leaving the village.

The older woman walked beside Elena and spoke up. "Now, Elena, let's go back." She ushered the young woman further into Carbo. A passing villager greeted them when they passed him.

"Thank you for all your hard work," he thanked the Sister, bowing his head in gratitude.

Ryudo and Skye continued to watch what was going on in case anything else happened. "Probably none of our concern," Skye finally said.

The Geohound turned to address the villager who had greeted the sister and was passing by him. "Are they collecting tithes? There's enough...what do they do—storm through your door and beat charity out of you?"

The villager stopped and looked at Ryudo. "I understand they're off to a tower outside the village to drive away evil spirits. We're very fortunate to have the Sisters."

His eyebrows rose in question. "Evil Spirits?"

"Yes. Things are fine around here during the day...but when the sun goes down, all kinds of terrible monsters are about."

"What about the girl who stayed behind?"

"Oh, Miss Elena? She's a Songstress of Granas. She sings such pretty songs for us. Maybe she will join after the service."

Ryudo cupped his chin in his hand, not really liking that prospect. "Hmm..."

The villager tilted his head, soaking in Ryudo's style of clothing. "You don't look like you're from around here. Word of advice: don't venture about at night," he warned the young man.

"Huh? They need a bodyguard? What's this about driving out evil spirits?"

"The Sisters will exorcise the Devil at the tower outside the village. How fortunate to have Sisters like them..."

Ryudo scowled, not liking all the talk about religion. "This isn't part of the deal... Agh, whatever. Let's see what they have to say at the church."

Skye nodded. "Yeah. There seems to be no other way." He looked over to the villager, and asked, "Excuse me, where do we find the church?"

He smiled softly at them. "That's easy. Just go straight. You can't miss it. It's the large building at the end of the road." He pointed off down the road. Sure enough, past the fountain in the middle of the village, was a large church at the far end of the place.

With a curt nod in thanks, Ryudo headed off down the dirt road at a brisk pace. Carbo seemed like a nice place. Most of the villagers had smiles on their faces. As nice a place as it seemed, Ryudo still did not like the church that probably played a big roll in the village.

Traveling past the fountain—a statue of an angel with a sword as the centerpiece—and through the arch, he came up to the large green doors of the church. He was about to open the door when he stopped with his hand outstretched. A sweet melody was faintly heard on the wind. The woman singing the song had a beautiful voice, one that some people would probably call a voice of an angel.

"A song?" questioned Ryudo.

"Maybe it's that 'Songstress'..." muttered Skye.

Ryudo quickly brought up a hand and shushed his friend. "Shhh!" He strained his ears and listened to the song for a few more moments, letting the melody wash over him. "Strange...it's...calming."

"Sounds like it's coming from inside."

"Let's take a look!" Eagerly, he pulled open the doors and walked in.

The light from the setting sun flooded in through the stain glass windows. Rows upon rows of wooden pews were leading up to the head of the church. A large stone statue of the same design as the fountain one was behind the pulpit. In one of the pews near the front, a person wearing black was, Ryudo assumed, praying. The melody of the calming song filled the room, and the woman singing was none other than the Songstress Elena.

She was completely oblivious to the person in black and Ryudo, who was quietly walking up the isle. He sat down in an empty pew, silently listening to the sweet hymn. He glanced over at the person for a moment, there was something vaguely familiar about him or her.

Elena's singing faded off. "Ohhh. I should have known that I needed more practice," she said aloud, most likely thinking she was the only one inside.

"What's the matter? Is that all?" asked Ryudo, his arms crossed.

The Songstress gasped and turned around, seeing her two-person audience for the first time. "Who said that?" Her warm, brown eyes fell upon the brunet.

Calmly, Ryudo stood up and walked towards her. "Don't mind me. Continue." He did not sound very soothing.

Her eyes stayed wide as she continued to stare at him "...Were you listening...to my singing?"

Shaking his head, he gave small smirk. "C'mon. If you're that tense, you won't be able to perform at all."

She suddenly gave him a suspicious look. "Who are you? I haven't seen you around... What are you doing here?" she asked quickly.

"Whoah now! What am _I_ doing here? You're the one who hired me." Little did he know, for he could not see, the person in black looked up at that remark.

Elena's look went to one of shock. "I...hired you?" she asked in confusion. Not remembering anything like that, she became defensive. "I-I do not remember anything of the sort! You look awfully suspicious! Leave right now, or I'll scream!"

The young Geohound laughed, "Are you for real?" He placed a hand on his forehead when he put it all together. "Oh, wait a sec... I bet no one told you!"

Elena opened her mouth to say something in return, but was cut off when a door behind her opened. A tall, saintly man wearing glasses walked in. A thick, leather book in hand, he closed the door behind him. "Elena, is something the matter?" he asked. Then he noticed the person who was talking to her, and nearly glided over to them. "Ah, you must be the Geohound, yes? We've been waiting for you." He smiled warmly at Ryudo.

The Songstress looked back at Ryudo, a look of light fear on her face. "A Ge-Geohound?"

Ryudo raised his hand in a quick greeting. "Hey. I'm Ryudo. This here's Skye. Quite a warm welcome for someone you're _hiring_." He gave a slight scowl to the young woman.

"WHAT? Why are you being so rude!" she questioned, getting defensive again.

The Father, Carius, looked to her with displeasure for her actions. "Elena!" he warned. Looking back to Ryudo, he dipped his head slightly. "Please excuse her. Allow me to apologize on her behalf." Turning back to Elena, he held out his arm to indicate the door he had just entered through. "Elena. You must get ready to leave."

"Ah, yes...Father. I am very sorry for interfering. Please excuse me." She bowed low to Carius, her demeanor returning to that of a gentle person. Acting as though her outburst never happened, Elena left the main room.

Sighing, Ryudo ran his hand through his spiky hair. "Excuses and women are equally tiring."

A disapproving look crossed Carius' face as he cleared his throat at Ryudo's comment. "...Ehem. This is not the place. May I ask you to wait at the inn? I'll try to be along shortly, but I must wait for the other Geohound we've hired to arrive."

Eyebrows rising suddenly, Ryudo opened his mouth to say something, only to have someone else to speak instead. "Don't worry, he's already here," came a familiar voice from behind them. Turning around, Ryudo gasped lightly when the person in black rose. He dusted off his pants before looking up at them. His sharp, amethyst eyes locked for a moment with Ryudo's before moving onto Carius.

"Sa-Satoshi!" He had to stop himself from saying San. As Satoshi walked up towards them, the little gold dragon, Hisashi, flew down from one of the windows and perched on his shoulder.

"Hey." He raised his hand quickly in greeting.

"Ah, are you the other Geohound? Satoshi, was it?" asked Carius.

"You can call me that. And this is Hisashi." Ryudo could not help but smirk. There he went again, not lying about his real name.

"Wonderful. Will you two please wait at the inn? I still have a few more things to take care of, so I shall be along shortly." With a bow of his head, Carius walked away from them.

"So, looks like we meet again," commented Ryudo, crossing his arms in a smug way.

"Yeah, yeah. You were right. Now let's just get this over with," muttered Satoshi, waving his hand lazily before heading down the isle.

It was one thing to have to work with a partner once, but another to work with them again. In the past, both of them had always worked alone, completing jobs in a breeze. But then they both ended up working for the same job. That one made sense, since it was a large group of bandits, but the one they had to do now? It did not make much sense to either of them. What was so important that the church had to hire _two_ bodyguards? None of them had the answer to that.

"Nice to know what you think of women," commented Satoshi as they passed the fountain, placing his hands behind his head.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"'Excuses and women are equally tiring'? Thanks." He rolled his eyes a bit.

"Nice one, Ryudo," whispered Skye.

"Well, I didn't mean you! Obviously," he tried to correct himself, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. "You're not like a woman at all," he whispered, making sure no one else was around. "I mean, of course you're really a woman, but then, it's like you're not at the same time. And that's not just because you have to pretend to be Satoshi."

Satoshi blinked a few times, trying to make sense of Ryudo's ramblings. "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment, or as an insult."

"Best to take it as a compliment. Probably the best you'll ever get out of him," remarked Hisashi, sleepily.

Ryudo sighed. "What I mean, I guess, is that even though you're a girl, I still like you." His eyes went wide when he realized what he said. "N-not like that, though! It's just- what I mean is—I can stand being around you. You don't annoy me or anything like that."

Beneath his mask, Satoshi smirked when they stopped by the door to the inn. "You're mincing your words, Ryudo. Better be more careful. Most of the time, the way you say something tells the person _more_ than what you're actually saying." He laughed softly, leaving a stunned Ryudo standing outside as he entered.

"What...just happened?" asked the Geohound, not being able to soak in what Satoshi just said.

"Amazing. Satoshi's only met you once before, and yet he's already able to read you like an open book," commented Skye, tilting his head to the side.

That brought Ryudo out of being stunned. With an quick glare at the bird, Ryudo marched into the inn. Inside, Satoshi was leaning against the wallpaper-covered wall near the main desk. When he saw Ryudo enter, he stood up straight. They walked up to speak to the man at the front desk, most likely the innkeeper.

"The priest told us to wait here..." muttered Ryudo.

The man looked between them. "Oh yes, he'll be along shortly. Why don't you take a seat over there?" He pointed over to the side where there was a small flight of stairs leading down to the main waiting area. Hisashi, not waiting for them, flew off of Satoshi's shoulder and glided over to one of the chairs at an empty table. At the moment, the place had no one else there.

The two Geohounds glanced over there before looking back at the innkeeper. "Tell him to make it quick." Finished, the two of them walked down the steps to the table Hisashi had picked out. The two humans had just sat down when the door to the inn opened again. The man who entered was none other than Carius.

He walked up to the innkeeper. "I believe there are two Geohounds waiting for me..."

The inn master gasped. "A...Geohound?" He stared at the Father in confusion for a moment. He glanced over where the two men were sitting. "There are two men over there. Geohounds... Father, what need have we with _their_ kind?"

"Ah, they have come. Peace, my son. It is not appointed to us to judge our fellow man. Granas alone reserves that power." He raised his hand as he said that. Walking down the few steps, he came up to the two Geohounds and bowed. "I apologize for our rudeness earlier. You must be Ryudo and Satoshi the Geohounds, correct? I am sorry to have kept you waiting."

"So, what business does a noble Priest of the Church of Granas have with lowly Geohounds like us?" asked Ryudo.

"I believe that was stated in my letters... You can...did read the letter, did you not?" he asked, giving nervous glances between the two.

"Come now, Father. For a priest, your lack of faith is most disturbing."

"Easy now," warned Skye.

A quick glare was sent at the bird. "Enough, Skye. So, Father, you need a bodyguard. Talk." Both of the Geohounds gave their undivided attention to the priest.

"There is a tower outside of town—Garmia Tower. We will hold a ceremony there tonight, under the light of the full moon. I want you to take one of our Sisters there. And once the ceremony is over, I want you to bring her back here."

Both of them gave him skeptical looks. Ryudo was the one who spoke. "I don't buy it. The church has never sought help from outside before, and this is a job for a choirboy, not a 'murderous Geohound'."

The priest sighed. "Not all are against you, lad. You need not always walk in anger and pain. All troubles can be resolved with prayer and..."

Ryudo and Satoshi immediately stood up. Neither of them were the religious type, and neither of them had patience for those who were and did not keep it to themselves. "Then I suggest you start praying your sister over to your tower."

He sighed again when he realized the situation. "I am sorry... I did not mean to offend... Please..." Pulling forth two bags of gold, he placed them on the table between the Geohounds. They stared at each other for a moment, smirks playing on both of their faces. Giving reluctant sighs, they each took their bag of gold.

"...Fine. Fine. Looks like we'll do the job. But save your sermons. Gold has a finer voice."

"The Sister whom you will be protecting is waiting in the church. Please ready yourselves and come along."

"Don't worry about the girl. I've never botched a job. And I don't plan to start," reassured Ryudo. With a quick nod in thanks, Carius left the inn. Satoshi's flying companion flew up to his shoulder. "Talkative, much?" questioned Ryudo, glancing at Satoshi.

He shrugged lightly. "You actually said most of the things I wanted to. So what would be the point in being redundant?"

Skye was the one who spoke up next. "Good point. At least there's one Geohound around here with common sense." Satoshi and Hisashi laughed softly while Ryudo, naturally, glared at his friend. Skye's expression was quite a smug one for him.

With no more comments to be said, the two of them headed back for the church.

"Go to the church. Wait at the inn. Return to the church..." Satoshi began to list where they had to go that day just to get hired for the job. He slouched over as he gave an exasperated sigh. "You'd think they'd just pick one place and get it over with." Hisashi nuzzled his golden head against Satoshi's face to try and comfort him.

Ryudo chuckled softly. "What'd you expect from them? They always try and make people's lives more difficult," he remarked.

Satoshi muttered a quiet agreement, placing his hands behind his head again. Eventually, they came up to the arch in the fence that led to the grounds around the church. Carius stood with the Sister they had to escort at his side. And the Sister was none other than the Songstress of Granas, Elena.

"So, Father, you want us to escort Her Fussiness here? Fine. Then come along, princess," said Ryudo.

Elena stared between Ryudo and Satoshi in confusion. She had only known of Ryudo as the only Geohound. To suddenly have yet _another_ one escorting her came as a bit of a shock. "Father. Am I the only one with Geohounds for bodyguards?" she asked, politely facing him.

"Yes. Your role is very important..."

"Oh, why can I not just go alone? Please, Father!" she begged, clasping her hands together.

Stepping forward, Ryudo broke up the little disagreement. "Hey hey! What are you trying to do? He already paid us in advance!"

Pursing her lips tightly together, she shot a disgusted look to Ryudo and Satoshi. "I do NOT want to go along with those boars!"

"Sure a Sister should be saying such rude things?" whispered Satoshi, amused, an eyebrow rising.

"Hey, now... Who are you calling a boar?" asked Ryudo, slightly offended.

Carius gave the Songstress a stern gaze. "Elena, your role is very important. Were something to happen to you, we couldn't hold the ceremony. Thus, the bodyguards."

"It's not fair that I'm the only one who has to go with a Geohound... _Two_, no less."

The brunet grumbled something under his breath. "I don't care one way or the other. Look, are you coming or not?"

"Elena, please do not forget your role. We are depending on you, I beg you." The priest placed a hand on her shoulder.

The young woman stared up at him. With a slow nod, she cast her eyes back down apologetically. "Yes...Father, you are right. I ought not to make Tessa and the others wait. I shall perform my part."

Pleased, Carius faced Ryudo and Satoshi. "Well then, Mr. Ryudo, Mr. Satoshi, please take Elena to Garmia Tower."

Satoshi nodded while Ryudo said, "Fine. Let's go, princess."

She shot a quick glare at him. "My NAME is Elena."

He gave a mock bow. "Princess Elena, then, move it."

The blue-haired Geohound sighed, rubbing his temples softly. "This is gonna be a long trip..."

:::

The forest to the north-west of Carbo was extremely dark. Even though night had not fully settled in, it felt as though it had when they entered the place. And the forest was so rightfully named the Black Forest. Many of the trees were gnarled, twisting in odd places, and many of the branches seemed like claws. Only one of them was afraid of the place, and that was, of course, Elena.

Not long after they had entered the place, she stopped.

"Hey!" called out Ryudo. The two Geohounds watched her as she nearly jumped at his sudden talking.

"Wha-! What is it?"

The brunet walked up to her while Satoshi stayed in his place. "This is your first time walking in the woods?"

The look that came to her face showed how unsettled she was. "N-No, not at all. It's just that...at night..."

"Keep your head down and watch your step." Turning his head to look at an area off the path, all of a sudden he pointed and shouted, "LOOK! OVER THERE!" Elena jumped to look, while Satoshi snapped his head around in case he was serious. Nothing out of the ordinary was where Ryudo pointed to. He sighed, "Nice reflexes, princess. Unfortunately, we're not out here to pick berries or nurse hurt shrews. Next time, you might want to duck and cover. Most bad guys won't stop killing you if you're trying to kiss their ouchies... Hey. You frozen there or something?" He waved a hand in front of her face.

Elena fell to her knees while Satoshi began to walk up to the two of them. Her voice shook as she said, "Ryu—Mr. Ryudo! Mr. Satoshi! There's something ahead!"

Around where Ryudo had pointed, two large, monstrous bird-looking monsters—Dodos—swooped down from the canopy. Their bright-blue feathers and blood-red beaks stood out in sharp contrast to the dark forest. The two Geohounds immediately drew their swords and moved to shield Elena.

A devilish grin, bordering on the edge of blood-thirsty, graced Ryudo's visage. "Yeah. Back off!" he shouted back to her as the birds dove for the Geohounds.

Satoshi dodged to the side and Ryudo jumped the other way. Almost synchronized, the two of them sliced through the two monsters, making quick work of them. Blood and feathers littered the ground beneath the now dead birds.

Not even worth the effort," grumbled Satoshi, sheathing up his sword.

Ryudo did the same and looked back at Elena. "You okay, princess?"

Exhaling slowly in attempt to calm her nerves, she slowly stood up. "Yes, Mister Ryudo. How are you? ...Are you two all right?"

"Just peachy," muttered Satoshi, putting on a fake smile beneath his mask.

"I'm fine, as long as I'm getting paid. But...one thing," he began sternly, placing a hand on his hip.

Elena swallowed nervously. "Yes?"

"Drop the 'mister' stuff. I'm not your teacher, your baby sitter, or your damn butcher. Just 'Ryudo'." To his side, Satoshi nodded in agreement. Neither of them liked all the formalities. Satoshi even less since he was really a woman passing as a man.

"All right..." she whispered.

A scowl crossed Ryudo's face. "Bah. At this rate, we won't make it till dawn. Step on it!" he commanded.

:::

After several more fights against the bird-like monsters, they finally made it through the Black Forest. When they came out into the small clearing where Garmia Tower stood, they slowed down for a moment. The two Geohounds looked around their new surroundings. Night now blanketed the area in darkness, making the full moon the only source of light to walk by. A ruined stone path led up to the main doors of the tower, and various broken pillars were to the side of the path. Up ahead, waiting for them, were the five Sisters from earlier.

As previously, when they reached the awaiting girls, Ryudo was the one who did the talking. "So I take it you're the ones who've been waiting for the princess here."

The pink-haired girl nodded, not making eye-contact with either Ryudo or Satoshi. "We are. You must be the Geohounds. I thank you." It was obvious she forced herself to say then when she bowed.

The blond girl with glasses leaned over to the one with green hair, and whispered, "So that's a Geohound... They give me the creeps."

The green-haired girl nodded. "The rumors speak truly..."

The girl with her long, violet hair pulled into a braid, standing to Tessa's left, made a disgusted face. "Yuck... They're looking this way."

The redhead finally yelled, "SILENCE!" Her voice nearly made the four Sister quiver in fear.

Ryudo and Satoshi ignored their comments. "Come on, get to it," he nearly hissed to Elena.

She stepped forward. "My Sisters...I am ready. I have Mister Ryudo and Mister Satoshi to thank for bringing me here safely."

The brunet gave a smug smile at their flawless work. "Not even a ding or a scratch on her." His look became serious. "Now, I don't suppose you'll tell us what this is all about..."

"Please wait outside until we have finished the ceremony, when it is concluded, you will escort Elena back to the Church," informed the pink-haired girl, not giving anything to answer Ryudo's request.

"How long you ladies going to take?" asked Satoshi, speaking up for the first time in a while.

The girl cast a quick glance in his direction. "It will take some time. This is all I may say. One more thing." She gave a stern look to Ryudo and Satoshi. "Do not enter the tower under any circumstances. The ceremony must not be disturbed by your kind...er, you."

A sigh escaped Satoshi and Ryudo ran his hand through his hair, saying, "'Our kind'. Right. I'll just sit over here and think filthy, unclean thoughts then."

"...Please do not come inside."

The green-haired girl turned around and opened the large, elegantly carved doors to the tower. All but Tessa and Elena filed inside. Satoshi watched them enter cautiously; he had a bad feeling about what they were doing.

Tessa came up to Elena, pulling her to the side slightly. "Elena, did they do anything to you?"

She got immediately flustered, and slightly angered. "TESSA! They kept their hands to themselves! Though Ryudo did see fit to share his foul mouth."

The pink-haired girl came back to the entrance of the tower. "Come, we must begin the ceremony!"

The two Geohounds watched as the remaining girls entered the tower, the doors firmly closing behind them. Tilting his head back, Satoshi frowned in thought as he stared up at the tall tower. Something was stirred from deep within his memories when he looked at it. Glaring softly, he did not notice Ryudo saying his name until he snapped his fingers in front of his face.

"San!" Ryudo called out.

"Huh?" Satoshi immediately looked over at Ryudo. "What is it?"

"Mind helping me start a fire?"

"Sure. No problem." He began to head off towards the edge of the woods to gather firewood when Ryudo grabbed his arm.

"Hey, since it might be a while before they finish...whatever the hell it is they're doing in there, do you mind at least lowering your mask? It gives me the creeps seeing you wear it all the time like you got something to hide."

He sighed, "We'll see."

:::

The small fire flickered in front of them. Not far behind where they sat was the side of the ominous tower. Hisashi lay curled up by Satoshi's feet, soaking in the warmth from the bright flames. Skye sat atop a piece of rubble, and opposite him sat Ryudo and Satoshi, leaning against another piece of the ruins. Acquiescing to the brunet's request, Satoshi had lowered his mask, but was ready to raise it back up the second someone else came.

Exhaling in annoyance, Ryudo finally spoke up. "Man, how long is this gonna take? We've been waiting for, like, hours!" He brought his hands up in exasperation.

Skye clicked his beak. "Oh, stop your whining. This is part of the job."

Looking over his shoulder, Ryudo glanced back towards the door to Garmia Tower. "Man, what're they doing in there? This is why I hate church—everything takes foreeever."

"I heartily agree," muttered Satoshi, opening his eyes.

"What's eating you, Ryudo?" asked Skye, cocking his head to the side.

"I just got a bad feeling about this..." Not being able to stay sitting still for much longer, he stood up and walked over to the tower wall. Ornate designs were carved into the seamless stone. Even though they were expertly carved, they did not appear very pleasing. Stylized, bat-like wings acted like borders to the several grotesque monsters with wings. And this tower too... Don't you think it looks like a strange place for a holy ceremony? Check out the mural." He brushed a hand over the cool stone. "What's the deal with these weird wings?"

"It's an ancient ruin... I figure it dates from the Silvery White Light Age," commented Skye. For a bird, he sure did know a lot of information.

Ryudo turned around to look at them, and Satoshi nodded in agreement. "You're right. It is from that Age. From that...horrible time..." he trailed off.

"You mean the Battle of Good and Evil?" asked Ryudo. "Why would they do their exorcisms or whatever in a place like this?"

"Who knows what they're doing in there. All I know for certain," Satoshi's right hand tightened into a fist," "is that this place, it holds a great evil within it..."

"Wh-what do you mean?" stammered Ryudo. He was about to get a reply when something cut Satoshi off.

A high-pitched scream pierced through the still, night air.

In a flash, Satoshi bolted upright and the two Geohounds looked towards the source of the scream, the top of the tower. A dark-purple cloud was beginning to form around the top of the tower. Barely visible behind the sudden phenomenon, Valmar's moon seemed to pulse for a moment before returning to normal. Purple lightning began to flash within the purple cloud, some strikes reaching outwards. Not hesitating a moment longer, the two Geohounds dashed for the double-doors.

"Wait!" cried out Hisashi, zooming over to them.

"Hey! Where are you going?" asked Skye, a second behind the little dragon.

"Something funny's going on! Best check it out!" replied Ryudo, reaching for the handles.

"But didn't they say not to go in?"

"Look, if anything happens to that Elena chick, it's our rep on the line. I'm not gonna blow this job."

"And neither am I," added Satoshi, his mask back in place.

The two fliers sighed, and Skye said, "True enough... And this IS out of the ordinary..."

Satoshi grunted, "Quit stalling! Let's go!"

Ryudo pulled open the doors and the two of them dashed inside. They barely got in a few feet before they suddenly stopped.

"...Huh? Great...just great... Where did all these damn monsters come from?" asked Ryudo, drawing his sword when a spider—one that was around as high as their waists—crawled ahead of them in a hall.

"We had better get an explanation for this."

:::

The fight up through the many levels of the tower took longer than they expected. Many monsters had barred their path, many more than they had first expected. The job they had been hired for may have started off a simple task, but it did not appear like it would end that way.

Breathing hard, and getting tired, the two of them finally reached the tallest point in the tower. When they crossed the final step, they immediately readied themselves for a fight.

Two gargoyles were standing in front of an injured Tessa, like they had been waiting for them.

Their wide maws opening to emit a ferocious howl, the battle began. The two Geohounds waited for the awakened monsters to make the first move. With their gray, bat-like wings outstretched, the two beasts flew straight for them. Sharp claws raised, they kept howling, trying to intimidate the two humans. As before, the two of them jumped in either direction, but it did not go exactly as they planned this time. The two gargoyles quickly changed course, and each went to one of them.

A dangerous claw swiped down at Ryudo, who barely brought up his sword in time. Coming to the rescue, Skye zoomed in and pecked out the monster's eyes, who howled in pain. Regaining from the recoil, Ryudo brought his sword up then down, slicing straight through the monster's thick neck.

Satoshi took a slightly different approach. Barely caught off-guard by the monster's sudden change, he jumped further away from the beast. As if right on cue, Hisashi soared in, clawing ferociously at the gargoyle's face. When the monster reared up at the sudden pain, Satoshi dived forward, shooting his sword up and piercing the thick hide and right into its heart.

Nearly at the same time, the two gargoyles fell to the floor, completely dead.

Wiping the hot blood off their faces, they quickly sheathed up their swords before they ran over to Tessa. Both kneeling down beside her, Satoshi was the one who cradled her injured body in his arms. Her own blood flowed from a wound in her head. Coughing, even more came up from her mouth.

"What happened?" asked Ryudo, placing a hand on her shoulder.

A weak hand, shaking slightly, was brought up and pointed. "The ceremony...failed... Sa...save Elena..." She coughed again.

Satoshi shook her slightly, trying to keep her awake. "Hang on. We'll get you out of here." Her green eyes closed, a response did not come. Her hand fell limply to her side. "Dammit! She's dead..." Laying her softly down, the two of them stared at her with remorse.

"Hey! No time for sentiment, guys! Search for the others!" scolded Hisashi.

The two Geohounds nodded at each other. "Yeah. We're in waist deep here..." muttered Ryudo. Quickly turning to where Tessa pointed, they walked over to the door she indicated. Reaching out, Ryudo tried to push it open normally. Nothing happened. He stared at it confused and tried again. Still nothing happened. Satoshi joined in, and the two of them pushed their full weight onto the double-doors.

They did not move the slightest amount.

Ryudo sighed in anger. "This stupid door! It doesn't budge!"

"I'll look for another way in!" said Skye as he flew off down the hall.

The brunet punched his fist into an open hand. "Dammit!" he cursed.

"Ryudo! Satoshi! This window!" yelled Skye from down the hall. Running, they reached a hovering Skye. A stain-glass window was in the wall between the hall and the ceremonial room. Bringing his sword up, Ryudo smashed through the small work of art, allowing for easy passage into the room beyond. All of them entered in through the window.

Glass crunching beneath their boots, they looked up...and gasped when they saw the hellish scene before them.

"Holy...!" gasped Ryudo.

Nearly everything lay in ruins in the room. A giant blue orb with a golden symbol on it floated above a small alter. Clouds of purple smoke swirled violently around it. Sprawled on the ground around it lay the bodies of the four other Sisters. None of them were moving, ans so they were assumed for dead. Finally, off to the side, they spotted Elena floating in another eerie cloud of the purple smoke.

She cried out in pain.

"What IS that?" yelled Ryudo, automatically reaching for his blade.

Dark wings suddenly materialized from Elena's body, barely visible through the dark smoke. Their bodies going nearly going numb, both of them stared at the smoke swirling around her, eyes wide in fear. Memories that they had long wished forgotten resurfaced. Memories that had for many nights had given them nightmares.

"No...it can't be...! Not again!" whispered Satoshi, shaking his head in attempt to deny what was in front of them.

"That Darkness! ...I know that Darkness!" came Ryudo, still caught in a grip of fear.

"There is...no Darkness inside me. You cannot... I forbid you... Aaahh..." Elena's weak voice barely reached them.

"Ryudo! You there? Snap out of it!" commanded Skye. They were suddenly brought back from their memories, not only by Skye's voice, but also by the roars of monsters. Spinning around, they saw more gargoyles through the broken window, coming straight for them. Satoshi drew out his blade and got in front of Ryudo, pushing him back.

"You go get Elena! I'll hold these guys off!" he ordered. Ryudo stared at him for a moment, unsure whether or not to follow his advice. "GO!"

Stumbling backwards for a moment, Ryudo eventually turned around and dashed for Elena. When he neared her, several of the gargoyles smashed through the stone wall and the battle between them and Satoshi began. The brunet jumped up into the purple cloud swirling around Elena, and grabbed her out of it. He could have sworn the darkness did not want to let her go, like it clung to them, attempting to keep them in place.

After he landed back down, Elena in his arms, the cloud of darkness behind him dispelled. Suddenly, tremors began to shake the room. Sparing a glance to the center, Ryudo saw the blue orb crack violently, dark lightning and more of the purple smoke spewing from the cracks.

"Ryudo, we've got trouble!" yelled Skye over the noise.

Not arguing, Ryudo ran for one of the open windows. With some difficulty, he managed to get a long rope suspended between the tower and the forest below. Grabbing onto Elena again, he reached up onto the hook he had placed onto the rope so they could get down. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Satoshi was still taking care of the gargoyles. There seemed to be no end to them!

"Satoshi!" he called out.

The blue-haired Geohound had just killed another when he glanced over his shoulder at Ryudo. "Get going!"

"No! You're coming with us!"

Hisashi snapped his jaw at the neck of a gargoyle, clawing frantically at the leathery skin. Bringing his sword up, Satoshi barely blocked a pair of claws in time. "Just GO!" He was pushed further back.

Ryudo could not bring himself to leave Satoshi behind. "Look! We're all getting out of here! So stop being heroic and get over here!"

"You're the one that has to stop being _stupid_!" yelled Satoshi. "Take Elena and get the hell out of here! I'll be fine!"

Both of them were proving to be quite stubborn. Grunting in anger, Ryudo glanced down at Elena. Still unconscious, she seemed like she would not wake up in any time soon. He looked back up at Satoshi, who had been pushed even further back. "SAN! Come on!"

Satoshi faltered for a moment when Ryudo had called out his true name. Another gargoyle fell before him. "Look! I don't care if you haven't trusted me up to this point, and I don't care if you ever trust me again, but, _please_, trust me now!"

He glanced over his shoulder at Ryudo, their gazes locking for a moment. The pleading in Satoshi's eyes was clearly seen. Unable to find his voice, Ryudo nodded. Against everything in his body that was telling him to stay, Ryudo jumped from the ledge and glided down the rope, Skye right at his side.

A wave of relief washed over Satoshi when he saw Ryudo leave. Looking back at the gargoyles, anger flashed in his violet eyes. "Now you'll pay," he growled. Jumping back, he brought his sword back. His eyes closed, he chanted some words he had not spoken in the longest of times. Snapping his eyes open, he swung his sword in a crescent motion, a wave of energy coming from it. Everything in its path that was of the Darkness was dispelled by the sparkling, silver light. A smirk played on his face beneath his mask. "Hisashi! Let's get going!" he called out. He knew that attack had only bought them some time.

The rumblings grew worse as even more of the purple smoke spewed out from the cracked orb. Running towards the ledge Ryudo had jumped from, Satoshi began to unfasten his cloak. He looked over the edge, then back to the orb that he knew was a Seal of Granas. One more tremor shook the room, and even more lightning and darkness came from it.

It was now or never.

:::

The rumblings from the tower did not cease. Looking over his shoulder, Ryudo saw the top of the tower being consumed by the dark smoke. A bright, silver light suddenly appeared from within the ceremonial room. He could not take his eyes off if it. A small gap in the smoke was made, and he could have sworn, just before the branches of trees blocked the tower from his view completely, that he saw a glowing blue light fall from the top of the tower.

"San..." he whispered, nearly landing face-first when he reached the bottom of the rope.

Rushing to more of a clearing in the Black Forest, he lay Elena on the ground. Ryudo stood up and kept glancing around, trying to spot any signs of danger, and of the blue-haired Geohound.

Skye landed on the ground next to Elena and examined her. "Anyway, she looks alright. Let's head back to town as soon as possible." Skye looked over to Ryudo, who had come back to check on Elena. "Say are you feeling okay? You were acting a little strange back there in the tower."

Ryudo looked over at Skye confused for a moment before he recalled what he was talking about. "...Yeah. Just some bad memories..."

"Oh..." Just then, the trees behind them began to rustle. Drawing his sword, Ryudo spun around to face whatever it might be. He sighed in relief and sheathed his sword when he saw who it was. Satoshi walked out from the tree, fiddling with his black cloak as he did.

"There. We should be fine for now," muttered Satoshi, coming up to Ryudo's side to check on Elena.

Ryudo was about to say something to Satoshi about what he did, but was cut off by Elena moaning softly.

"Hey, she's waking up," said Hisashi, landing on Satoshi's shoulder.

Ryudo bent down and shook the Songstress' shoulder. "Hey, wake up!"

Stirring, she moaned in pain. "...Ooohhh. Stop it...! STOP IT!" She bolted upright, clutching her head as she screamed.

"Hey. It's alright now. Hey!" Ryudo grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at them.

Her bright, brown eyes blinked a few times in confusion. "Where am I?"

"In the woods, near that Tower," answered Satoshi.

"Huh? Why am I in such a place...?"

Standing, Ryudo pointed over to Garmia Tower. "Look over there."

Everyone looked past the trees to the tall, black tower. The entire structure was being engulfed in a sea of the purple smoke. Lightning flashed within the large cloud, sending forth a feeling of great dread to them.

Elena gasped, bringing her hands up in fear. "That is...the power of Darkness..." Looking around, she finally noticed that they were the only ones there and gasped sharply. "Where is everyone? Wh-where is Tessa!"

Both of the Geohounds looked at each other, then to the ground. "You were the only survivor. Sorry." muttered Satoshi. He then held out his hand to her. "Come on, we've got to get moving."

She pushed him away, shaking her head in denial as she stood up. "NO! I'm...is...is everyone... ...Everyone... I am going back! They must have..."

"Hey! HEY! Princess!" snapped Ryudo. "The power of Darkness isn't coming this way to tell us about the neighborhood bake sale. We need to leave!"

Terrified glances from her were switched between Ryudo and Satoshi. Her voice quavered with fear and sadness as she whispered, "Are they really...gone...?"

The brunet nodded numbly. "Yeah, they're dead. You nearly didn't make it yourself, you weren't looking so hot, never mind those wings you sprouted..."

Tears began to build up in the corners of Elena's eyes. "We lost to the power of Darkness... To the power of Valmar..."

"You still with us, Songstress? Hey, time to snap out of it! The dead won't be joining us anytime soon..."

On the verge of tears, Elena sank back down to her knees. "The ceremony has failed. All have perished. Why should I alone have lived? Why should I alone keep living..."

"It's pointless to ask such questions," muttered Satoshi, grabbing onto one of Elena's arms.

Ryudo gave a different answer: "Because we've got a job to do." He grabbed onto her other arm, both of them pulling her up. "Now get up and get your butt in gear!"

Her tears ending, Elena wrenched her arms from their grasp and glared at the Geohounds. "You...you... monsters! You cold, unfeeling BRUTES!"

Ryudo and Satoshi smirked at the naive girl. "Geohounds. Cold, unfeeling _Geohounds_." Skye flew up to Ryudo's shoulder, and the two Geohounds walked off.

Elena stared after them, wondering if she should have said what she did. Something made a noise in the woods next to her, making her almost jump. Frightened, and getting more frightened each passing moment, she reluctantly ran after the Geohounds.

:::

Once they got back into the safety of Carbo, they stopped. Ryudo looked back out towards the forest, several more gargoyles had attacked them while returning.

"Looks like we escaped. I don't think they'll follow us this far," he thought aloud. Placing a hand on his hip, he stared over at Elena, as was Satoshi. "Well? You calmed down a bit?" Elena looked away from them like she was feeling guilty. "Anyway, we'll bring you back to the priest. That's what we were hired for, after all..."

Elena suddenly looked up at the Geohounds. "Ryudo, Satoshi, how can you kill so indiscriminately?" She snapped her mouth shut when she realized the what she had asked. Apologetically, she looked to the ground. "...I'm sorry... You are doing it to protect me..."

The Geohounds glanced at each other. Satoshi waved a hand in dismissal and said, "...Don't worry. Part of the job."

Their quick walk to the church was in silence. Carius was pacing around nervously when they spotted him. Upon seeing him, Elena suddenly dashed forward, bowing her head low when she got to him.

"Father Carius... I...I..." her voice showed she was on the verge of tears.

The priest placed his hands on her shoulders, and that seemed to calm her down slightly. "Elena... Are you the only one to make it back? Where are the others? What has happened?"

"During the...ceremony... Oh, Father..."

"Oh, child...you have said enough for now. Rest, and speak on these things a later time."

Ryudo scraped away some of the blood that had dried onto his cheek. "Well, anyway, our job here is done. You've paid us enough—we weren't exactly the most successful bodyguards." Satoshi nodded numbly in complete agreement. "But what the hell was that ceremony about?"

The tall man dropped his hands, and stared grimly at the two Geohounds. "Mr. Ryudo, Mr. Satoshi... You must be tired. We shall prepare some warm food for you. Come, please. Come inside... Elena, you as well..."

Inside the church, Ryudo and Satoshi sat in the front pew, both of them slinging their arms over its back. With Elena standing to Carius' side, he asked the Geohounds what they knew.

Ryudo answered, "I can't tell you much about the ceremony. But the last I saw—and this sounds odd—Elena had grown these black wings. Anyway...we cut out of there pretty damn fast."

The Songstress bit her bottom lip, still clearly upset. "Father, I...I had 'wings'..."

"Hush now, Elena. You are tired. Go to your room and get some rest. Understood...?" He almost sounded like a blood father when he spoke to her.

"...Yes, Father." Bowing to the priest, Elena exited the room through the back door.

Sighing, Carius looked up to the angel statue. "So the ceremony was a failure... And Elena possessed...by the 'Wings'..." he muttered with remorse in his voice.

Eyebrows raising, Ryudo asked, "You mind filling us in, chief? Try finishing your sentences."

The priest turned to face them, holding his hands behind his back. "I knew it would be dangerous. Yet...even so, we had to do it. The Wings had to be sealed. The Wings of Valmar, young men. The Wings of Darkness."

"WHAT?" Ryudo nearly shouted as he stood up. The remaining Geohound remained surprisingly calm.

"As Granas is the God of Light, so Valmar is the Devil of Darkness. Long ago, the two met in battle, as was ordained."

Calmly, Ryudo sat back down while asking, "The Battle between Good and Evil, right? Everyone knows the fairy tale."

"Valmar was defeated, yes. But not destroyed. Even now, the foul one prepares for the coming of eternal night."

"This is new..."

"Valmar grows in power with each passing day, seeking to break the seals which for a time, have kept the Darkness bound. As is foretold in scripture, the Day of Darkness is at hand. The world groans with the heaviness of Valmar's rebirth. The Devil seeks again to blot out the light of Granas. Valmar will return our world to Darkness. Then, destroy it. Sadly, even the power of our Pope, Zera Innocentius, is not enough to ward the Seals against the very Darkness itself. Yet, it is the work of myself and my brethren to prevent the advent of that day, when all light shall fade away. Were it not so...I would not have sent my daughter to that doomed ceremony..."

"Your daughter...?" He blinked a few times in question, then realized the answer. "Tessa..."

"The Sealing Ceremony failed. And if what you say is true, not only did it fail, but Elena has become possessed by Valmar's accursed wings as well."

"What happens next?" asked Satoshi.

"The Pieces of Valmar devour the soul of those they possess...our dear Elena. Once she is...emptied...the Wings will move on. On to another host. This is how Valmar feeds, gathering strength to re-enter our world. The fetters will be loosed... Ryudo. Satoshi. Will you lend us your services again? Will you help Elena—be her bodyguards?"

Both of them rose their eyebrows in question. What was it they could possibly be needed for now?

Carius sighed, and continued, "These sad events may yet be made to work in our favor. I wish to send Elena to Granas Cathedral immediately. It is rumored that his Holiness, Zera, knows of an ancient sacrament which has the power to cleanse the soul of Darkness. The rite would free Elena and shield others from the taint of evil. We may again be able to seal the Wings away. Such an act would delay Valmar's return. However, those that follow Darkness will not sit idly by as our plans come to fruition."

Ryudo shook his head slightly. "...I'm sorry, were you waiting for me to give a damn?"

"No, Ryudo. I wait for you to recognize an opportunity. For your services, you both shall receive...say...a statue of gold? It belonged to the church, but needs outweigh vanity. I believe it would make a pretty enough prize..."

"...Let me think about it. I can't stand God or women..." Satoshi nodded in agreement to Ryudo's comment...rather, half of his comment.

Suddenly, the room they were in was rocked by a large explosion. The Geohounds immediately rose up.

"What was that!" questioned Ryudo, asking no one in particular.

"Something outside?" reasoned Satoshi.

All of them rushed outside to investigate what was going on. Met by the pure light of the full moon, and the red glow from Valmar's moon, they saw what had happened. The statue in the fountain had been obliterated. Standing atop the rubble was a sassy-looking girl with long red hair, an interesting fashion sense, and large, bat-like wings on her back.

Stretching, she said, "Mmmm. Ahh. This feels so good. I feel so free, so filled with power. Ahh, I feel EXCELLENT."

The Geohounds stared, baffled at the young-looking woman. "What? That-that girl did this?" asked Ryudo, completely surprised.

"It would appear so," commented Satoshi, staying quite calm.

Carius walked ahead of the Geohounds, glaring at the redhead. "What have you done...? You foul Dark One!" He raised his hand, a ball of green energy gathering just in front of it. "LEAVE AT ONCE!" As he shouted, he sent the magic shooting towards the girl.

With a lazy wave of her arm, the woman deflected it like it was nothing. Placing her hands on her hips in a huff, she glared down at the three men. "What do you think you're doing? What do you mean by Dark One!"

Ryudo smirked. "Huh. She has a fair hand with magic." Off to his side, Satoshi shook his head at Ryudo's comment.

The redhead, upon hearing Ryudo's comment, placed her attention on him. A smile forming on her face, she jumped down from the ruined fountain and landed in front of the brunet.

She giggled softly. "And other fair parts besides. Tell me,do I look like a Dark One to you? I mean really..." She gave him a smile that seemed to contradict what Carius had called her.

The Priest suddenly said to the Geohounds, "Beware! Evil takes forms far from foul..."

The brunet crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the woman. "Are you. _really_ one of the Dark Ones?"

Her eyebrows rose in confusion. "Huh?" Bored with the three of them, she glanced around the village and sneered. "Eww, just the sight of this place disgusts me! This filthy statue," she made a gagging sound, "this church!" Glancing back to the Geohounds and priest, her sneer became a look of pure evil and malice. "And the scum who live here too!" Flapping her wings, she jumped into the air. While cackling, she sent bolts of purple lightning—the same kind that they had seen in the Tower—raining down upon the village.

"Careful, Ryudo, she's dangerous!" warned Skye.

Cracking through the night air, a large bolt of lightning hit the church.

Falling to his knees, Carius cried out, "The church! Ahh! What have you done?"

The redhead landed on the destroyed statue, stretching once again. "Ah, now I feel better. Heh. What's the big deal? It was just a rickety old church!" Turning around to face the rest of the village, the evil look returned to her face. Holding out her arm, she began to gather a ball of dark energy in her hand. "Now, how about I obliterate this town for you?"

"You're crazy! You really are one of the Dark Ones; you look like it too!" shouted Satoshi.

Ryudo quickly added, "Hey! What do you think you're doing! Are you out of your mind? Or are you as sick and twisted as you look?"

After being greatly offended by the comments, the redhead dropped her arm and turned back around. She brought her hands up in disbelief. "You- you're terrible! What an awful thing to say! I thought you..." Her moment of acting innocent was over. "Ah well. This will tame your tongue!" She jumped for Ryudo.

"Satoshi, stay back. I'll take care of this girl," ordered Ryudo, drawing his sword to meet the woman head on.

Satoshi was about to argue, but it was already too late. Out of the three strikes Ryudo sent out, none of them even scraped the woman. Moving away, the redhead gathered up energy for a magic attack. Dashing towards her, Ryudo tried to reach her in time to break her concentration for the attack. No sooner had he started running than he was struck down by purple lightning, paralyzing him.

Falling to his knees, he could hardly accept such a defeat. "Dammit. Such intense power!" he strained to say. Struggling, he tried to get out of the binding magic.

With a sway in her step, the redhead walked up to Ryudo. "Well, well, my dear... You make a rather nice plaything..." she said with a smirk.

The brunet grunted in anger. "Don't toy with me!"

She giggled softly. "I like you. My name is Millenia. Next time we meet, I'll make you mine." She suddenly smiled at him. "Well...practice up! I'll be back, toodles." Waving farewell with her fingers, like a little girl, she jumped up into the air. Cackling again, she flew off into the night.

With her leave, the magic binding Ryudo dissipated and he was able to move one more. After dusting off his pants, he sheathed his sword, muttering, "She can fight...for a girl." The priest and other Geohound walked over to him. "Satoshi, think you're going to take the job?"

The blue-haired man nodded. "As much as I hate religion, I think I need to do this. Something odd's going on, and I need to know what."

The brunet nodded in agreement, looking over to Carius. "Father, we'll take you up on your offer. I want to find out for myself just exactly what is going on..."

:::

Back at the inn the following morning, the small company of four sat at a table. They were waiting for the priest to come with Elena. Still troubled by the events of last night, Satoshi was remaining as silent as ever, while Skye was the one who struck up a quick conversation.

"Ryudo, are you fine with this? Didn't you say that you don't like getting involved in matters of religion?"

A smirk crossed the brunet's face, his blue eyes sparkling. "He said I'll get to meet that Pope Zera at the Cathedral. Think about it, Skye! The Pope! If we can get in good with him, we could get our hands on some ungodly amounts of loot." He rubbed his hands together eagerly.

The eagle-like bird clicked his beak skeptically. "I'm not a newly-hatched 'chick', Ryudo. I suspect you have other reasons for your 'broad' change of heart..."

Ignoring what Skye was hinting at, Ryudo looked past the seat Skye and Hisashi were taking up and watched Satoshi. "How about you, Satoshi? Eager for a chance to get some good gold?"

The Geohound glanced up and shrugged. "I don't really care. True..." A smirk played on his face beneath the black mask. "The chance of gold _does_ sound rewarding, but I have my own reasons for taking this job."

The other Geohound chuckled to himself. "Hard to believe that we're on the same job, _again_." He stretched his arms up, sighing. "Ah well. This should prove to be rather interesting." He was about to say something more when he inn doors opened, allowing the two followers of Granas entrance.

The priest walked down the steps, Elena in tow, while the two Geohounds rose.

"Mr. Ryudo, Mr. Satoshi, sorry to keep you waiting. Here is your payment." He handed Satoshi a fair-sized statue of an angel—much like the angel inside the church—made completely out of gold. The Geohounds looked at it approvingly as it sparkled in the light. "...Please take good care of Elena."

The Sister walked forward. "Thank you for your help. Shall we go?" Once again, she masked her hatred for Geohounds and acted as a proper follower of Granas would.

The blue-haired Geohound handed the statue to Ryudo. After placing it safely in his pack, he smirked at the Songstress. "Granas Cathedral is a bit of a hike, princess. Better leave your silk slippers behind. Sure you're up to this?"

Her look became sorrowful as she recalled the events of the night before. "I must go. I do not want the others to have died in vain..." Turning to the priest, she bowed to him. "Farewell, Father. Please take care..."

The middle-aged man smiled warmly at her. "Elena, be careful during your travels. I shall pray for your safety..."

Almost instantly, a smirk crossed Ryudo's face. "And I'll pray for the patience I'm going to need..."

Anger towards Geohounds returning, Elena gave him displeasing look. "I will not be a burden. I am quite able to fend for myself!"

Satoshi sighed behind Ryudo while he ran his hand through his hair. "So the Songstress has spunk... Good. Let's move."

"I must get to Granas Cathedral...no matter the cost."


	3. Trouble In Agear

III

_Trouble in Agear_

Only moments after Elena had joined up with the two Geohounds, the small company headed out of Carbo and south towards the Inor Mountains. Many of the large spiders—Molted Spiders—returned once again to cause them trouble, along with the blue Dodos. A new foe for them to fight slithered across their path as they headed up the mountains. The Crag Snakes proved to be the one of the more annoying monsters they had had to face so far. In several meetings with them, they had managed to poison one of the three. But, thanks to some curing herbs the Geohounds ha on hand, those creatures were nothing to worry about too much.

Overall, the trek up the rocky mountain path was proving to be quite an easy one...at least for the moment. Even the Songstress was showing that she was able to fend for herself, just like she had claimed. Her skills may not have been as high as the Geohounds, but she was able to wield her staff quite well in their occasional battle.

With their need of reaching the Cathedral in a reasonable amount of time, they did not stop once in the day. Not even Elena was complaining, though she seemed to be taking it the hardest out of them all. Eventually, when the sun was nearing the horizon again, they came upon an area on the mountain path that seemed suitable for camp.

While Satoshi was helping Elena get up to the plateau Ryudo was on, the brunet quickly scanned the immediate area. "Skye, mind looking around for a bit?" he asked his friend when the other two came up behind him.

"No problem." After Ryudo held his arm out, Skye climbed down it a little bit before flying off.

Turning around, now both of the Geohounds placed their attention on Elena. "Getting tired?" asked Satoshi to her. "We can rest for a little while."

She shook her head softly. "No. I am still... All right," she eventually agreed.

A smirk returned to Ryudo's visage. "Don't get comfortable. The night has many eyes..." His looks became more malicious when he added, "...teeth..."

"Your children's tales are neither frightening nor amusing," she snapped back.

Practically out of nowhere, Skye came swooping down around them. Elena let out a loud shriek at his sudden appearance, dropping to her knees afterwords. The Geohounds chuckled at her reaction, though they did not expect anything different coming from her.

"Don't overdo it. We're staying here tonight. Can you stand?" asked Ryudo, not offering to help her up at all.

"Yes..." she muttered weakly, still trying to calm her racing heart.

After Satoshi helped her up, the three of them began to pitch a tent. It was more as though the Geohounds were pitching the tent, Elena did not seem to know how. With only a little of the sun resting above the horizon, the tent was finally all set up.

Dusting off their hands, they stared at the large structure approvingly. "I'm gonna go out and make no monsters will get us," said Satoshi, walking farther up the mountain path.

"You sure it's safe to do that?" asked Elena.

The Geohound looked over his shoulder and smiled beneath his mask. "Yeah. Don't worry about me. The monsters out here are nothing compared to some of the beasts I've faced."

Elena still seemed uncertain. "A-all right," she stammered out.

He turned to continue up the path when Ryudo called out to him, "Hey. Careful out there." The blue-haired Geohound raised his hand in acknowledgment to the warning as he continued to walk on ahead. The remaining two of them were left with making a fire and getting a meal ready.

:::

Night had settled in by the time the Geohound and Songstress had finished their small, evening meal. They were sitting by the fire, waiting for Satoshi to return.

"You calmed down a bit? Pay attention next time," said Ryudo, referring back to when she had been frightened by Skye.

She nodded slowly, still not used to all the the things the Geohounds were accustomed to. "All right..."

Looking over his shoulder for a moment, Ryudo sighed. "Anyway, what happened back at the tower? Ready to talk about it yet?" Even thought he had wanted to wait for Satoshi to return, it looked like he was not coming back any time soon.

She started off, hesitantly, "...I do not remember much. It was... I believe it was a ceremony of sealing. I was to sing... I began my songs. My Sisters moved to restore the seal...and then..."

"What about the wings?"

"Forgive me. I do not wish to remember." She cast her wet eyes to the side, upset about thinking back to what happened.

"Uh-huh. We're missing something here. You must be able to remember—or did the clouds of incense fog your memory?"

Her eyes went wide in surprise. "...Do you assume...?"

"Hey, I'm not presuming to know what goes on behind closed doors, sister. I'm just saying you were there..." He grunted in annoyance. "Bah. Hopeless."

"You do not understand."

"Because I'm not sophisticated enough? Because I don't fall all over myself to be the first in line at the temple doors?"

Brown eyes narrowing, she said, "Now you mock me."

The familiar smirk returned to his face once again. "No, I've been mocking you for the last half hour. A little slow to notice, aren't we?"

"Why do you persist in vexing me? Do you bait me to watch me suffer? Do you take pleasure in my pain? Please, I do not need your grief, as I have much of my own."

"...I'm s...surprised that you've managed to remain so naive and survive as long as you have."

"Is that...what you think?"

"Forget it. Get to sleep. We've got a ways ahead of us in the morning." While he tended the fire, Elena stood up and headed for the tent. She had just pulled back the flap when Ryudo called out, "Hey! Leave some space for me!"

In a huff, Elena spun around. "I hope you're joking. Never mind. I will sleep outside the tent!"

"...I didn't mean it that way...uh... Hope you like sleeping on rocks!" he said with a cheeky grin. Appalled, she gasped in disgust. Clenching her hands tight, she walked off to the far side of the tent, out of Ryudo's view. Shrugging the matter off, Ryudo went back to tending the fire. "Suit yourself..."

Not long after that little incident, Skye came swooping down from his perch on the highest point of the tent. He landed just to Ryudo's side, who was still watching the flickering flames of the fire.

"So, she's finally asleep..." he muttered.

The eagle-like bird cocked his head at the Geohound. "What about you lover boy? You going to sleep?"

"I can't... I keep seeing Elena surrounded by Darkness in the tower... Nightmares, man. Besides, I want to stay up until San gets back. What the hell is taking her so damn long anyway?" He glared softly as he looked up to the path where Satoshi had left.

Skye, on the other hand, looked down the path they had traveled to get where they were at the moment. "Uh...I think you're looking the wrong way."

"What is it?" He looked down at the bird, then followed his gaze.

Coming up the path they had walked on that afternoon was a figure clad in black. When the person got onto the ledge they were on, it was verified that it was Satoshi. A fairly dirty Satoshi. As he walked up to the fire, he proceeded in dusting off his clothes, getting them relatively clean again. When he looked back up, his amethyst eyes scanned the area.

"Hey, where's Elena?" he asked, looking down at Ryudo.

"She's sleeping."

Nodding, Satoshi went to check inside the tent. After pulling the flap back and looking inside, he quickly glanced over his shoulder at Ryudo, who was looking at the fire. "Uh...you _do_ know she's not in here, right?"

The brunet looked around and nodded. "Yeah, she's sleeping behind the tent on the ground," he replied, gesturing to the back of the tent with a stick.

Scratching his head in confusion, Satoshi walked back over to the fire. "Why would she do that?"

A nervous chuckle escaped Ryudo. "Um... I kinda pissed her off not too long ago."

With a long sigh, Satoshi sat down by the fire. "Why am I not surprised?" Once he sat down, he lowered his mask.

"Hey, didn't you leave the other way?" asked Ryudo after the other Geohound had finished eating. Amethyst eyes glancing up, he nodded. "Then how come you came back that way?" he asked in bewilderment, pointing towards the path Satoshi had come up from.

Laughing in embarrassment, Satoshi rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh...THAT. Please, don't ask." He glanced off to the side for a second. "Anyway, what happened to get Elena so mad that she slept on the cold rocks?"

Ryudo explained everything they had talked about while Satoshi had been gone. "I don't know..." he muttered when he finished. "I guess I expected a little too much from her. She HAS been sheltered her whole life. She's never seen the world outside her window. And then to have her friends die on her like that... I guess I was expecting her to be a bit more like you, San. But she's definitely not like that."

"Ryudo..." The brunet looked up at the mysterious Geohound. "You know, there was a time when I would have been a lot more like her than I am you..." It was his turn to poke a stick at the fire.

"What! You? Like Elena?" Ryudo asked in complete surprise.

"Yeah... If things had been different, I would have been something similar to her rather than a Geohound." He continued to stare into the embers of the fire.

The brunet gave a wry chuckle. "I can't picture you being a Sister, like Elena. No matter how hard I try, it just doesn't fit."

"There might have been a time when you wouldn't HAVE to imagine it, it would have been reality. But then...we probably wouldn't be where we are now."

"San...you're not making that much sense."

"Then don't worry about it," he mumbled. "Just worry about protecting Elena as we make our way to the Cathedral. It's our duty to protect her...and a damn good job we did at that," he scoffed. "She suffers even now, all because of those damn Wings!"

"What happened to you in that tower, San? You seemed to get as pale as Ryudo did when we saw what was happening to her," asked Skye. Ryudo noticed Satoshi's eyes getting a sadder look to them, he figured he remembered something.

"Forget about it. I'm going to get some rest now," he muttered as he stood up, hardly any emotion in his voice. Hisashi quickly flew up to his shoulder. Saying no more, the blue-haired Geohound went into the tent to go to sleep.

:::

Behind the tent, Elena stirred slightly. She had heard most of the conversation between Ryudo and Satoshi. Groggily, she sat up and glanced in the direction of the fire.

"...Why did he not tell me...? And Satoshi...who is he, really?" she asked herself before lying back down. She drifted off to sleep once more, barely catching the beginning of a new conversation Ryudo struck up with Skye.

:::

Ryudo watched Satoshi over his shoulder until he was blocked from view.

"Damn...looks like we touched a sore spot with her," he muttered, looking back to the dying flames.

"What do you mean?" the bird asked.

"Didn't you see the look in her eyes? I know that look...because it's exactly how I felt when I saw the Darkness nearly swallowing Elena. I never thought anyone else could have gone through something like that...but it looks like I was dead wrong. San has gone through something like it. I just... I hoped that no one else had gone through what I did... To have to face all that pain...it's hard."

"Compassion, Ryudo? A little late for that. Your words would sound far better had they been spoken sooner."

"Sometimes...all I can... I didn't want..." he tried several times to find the right words. "Something must have happened to her, and she suffers even now from it. I know it's our duty to protect Elena, but I can't stand to see San suffer either! I have to make sure she's able to keep up with this job...to make sure that she's all right..."

"You're mincing your words again, Ryudo. Badly. You know as well as I that what you feel has less to do with duty than with..."

"With WHAT, Skye?" he cut him off. "With concern? With sentiment? That's... not me..." He glanced over his shoulder once more to the tent, his look becoming soft. "Still, I've never felt..." When he realized what he was saying, he quickly shook his head in denial. "Bah, good night, Skye," he muttered, using his arms as a pillow as he lay down against the rocks.

Mentally, the bird smiled as he watched his friend. "...Sweet dreams, Ryudo."

:::

The early morning air was filled with birds' songs. To their great pleasure, neither of the Geohounds had nightmares when they had finally slept. Only one of the company was awake at the moment. The young Songstress quickly cleaned up the fire from last night before standing above the brunet.

Smiling widely, she called out in an excessively cheery voice to wake him, "...Ryudo, it's morning already." Groaning, the Geohound eventually opened his eyes. His blue orbs looking up, he saw the bright look on Elena's face. Groaning again, he pushed himself up, rubbing his head sleepily. "Good morning, Ryudo. Are you awake?" Her voice did not lose an ounce of cheeriness.

"Cut it out, Elena. It's too early..." he moaned, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes.

The happiness in Elena's face melted away as she cast her eyes down. "Up until now..."

Suddenly awakened by her sudden change in attitude, Ryudo stammered out, "Wha- what is it...?"

The Songstress bowed low in apology to the Geohound. "...I'm so sorry. I misjudged you, Ryudo. I took you for just another detestable Geohound." She smiled again when she switched her gaze to the eagle-like bird. "Skye, I misjudged you as well. Please forgive me."

The Geohound stared at her like she was insane. "What snuck into your sleeping bag? I AM a detestable Geohound."

Skye flew up to Ryudo's shoulder as he stood up. The bird nodded several times. "I agree."

Giggling softly at the old bird's remark, Elena quickly made her way to the entrance of the tent. She was barely a few feet away from it when it was pulled back, revealing a very tired Satoshi. Grumbling, he was rubbing one of his eyes in attempt to wake himself up. "The hell...? What are you guys doing up so damn early?" he questioned, Hisashi landing softly on his shoulder. The gold dragon yawned, his little maw opening surprisingly wide.

Clearly, neither of the Geohounds were regular morning people.

Like before, Elena bowed low in apology. "Satoshi, I am sorry. I misjudged you, too. You are not another despicable Geohound like the rumors say."

Satoshi, completely awake from the comment, gave a look at Elena nearly identical to the one Ryudo had given. "All right, what happened to the real Elena? I AM a despicable Geohound. And a ruthless one at that."

From his shoulder, Hisashi turned his head to look at Satoshi. "Oh, come now, you're MUCH more than that," he said with a smirk on his scale-covered face.

"Not helping, Hisashi," hissed the Geohound.

Elena smiled at the little dragon. "And I've misjudged you as well, Hisashi. Even though you never said much, I was still prejudice against you for being with a Geohound."

Hisashi made a dismissive wave with one of his front claws. "Think nothing of it."

Smiling brightly, her chocolaty-brown eyes sparkling kindly, she moved to get the four of them in view. "Anyway... Ryudo, Satoshi, please help me get to Granas Cathedral. And you too, Skye, Hisashi."

:::

The rest of the journey through the Inor Mountains too the rest of the day. Many more monsters barred their path, and several traps had been lain as well. Elena was quickly accumulating a great amount of experience from the all the battles they fought. She no longer jumped at every appearance of a monster. By the time they crossed the mountain range, she was better off than she had been the previous day.

To the west, the sun was hanging over the horizon, casting long shadows of the four of them. With their end in sight, they hurried along the path until they made it to the small town. When they saw what it was like, they stopped dead in their tracks.

Agear was as close to a ghost town as you could get.

The wind blew through the desolate place, dry dirt being stirred up. The inn was the only building that was still standing. The only other structures that were up were many tents, most likely the quarters for all the solders that were patrolling around. Behind the inn and tents was a large, stone wall, one that was falling apart. A wooden barricade blocked the entrance in the wall that led to the ruins of the rest of the town.

Confused, Elena turned to Ryudo for answers. "Ryudo, is this a...town...or something?"

The Geohounds were as stunned as Elena. "Not the kind you'd want to raise your kids in. Didn't used to be like this..." answered Ryudo.

"When could this have happened?" questioned the other Geohound, not expecting an answer.

The kind Songstress sighed. "Today I thought...we could sleep in a regular room..."

"Well, we're gonna have to make do. Anyway, let's find a place to bunk up." Elena and Ryudo nodded at Satoshi's suggestion.

Without disturbing the guards, they headed for the only place they would get some good rest. Inside the wooden inn there was a bar for people to eat and drink at, and there were several tables. One of the tables was occupied by what almost seemed like circus folk. After a quick glance around the room, Ryudo finally looked over at the man behind the bar. As soon as he spotted him, he headed over there with the Songstress and the other Geohound in tow.

Sitting down, Ryudo greeted the innkeeper heartily. "Long time, no see. Looks like you had trouble..." Elena sat down to his left, and Satoshi sat to the right.

The rough-looking man with glasses chuckled at Ryudo, cleaning off his hands on the dark apron he wore. "Ryudo. Still breathing, I see. Good." He smiled approvingly. "Monsters, kiddo. Monsters have taken up residence on the other side of town. As you can see, they haven't been too kind to us poor louts."

Nodding, the brunet took another look around the lobby. "Nice place you got here, Vyx. I heard they tried to run you out of town. Stubborn as ever, I see." He quickly laughed at his old acquaintance.

"Aye, and don't think the wretches that came crawling in here for shelter appreciate it. I tell you, if I had a few more men with blades, we wouldn't have to keep huddling in here like hens on omelet day."

A smirked returned to Ryudo's face as he rested his elbows on the counter. "You retired for a reason, Vyx. You can't win battles with your reputation alone."

"I can still..." he said in defense. His gaze switched from Ryudo to Elena. "Say, Ryudo, who's the girlie? You've gone soft on me, lad," he laughed.

Elena, who was not entirely paying attention to the conversation, suddenly looked up. "Huh!"

An low sigh escaped Ryudo as he ran his hand through his hair. "And you've gone senile on me, old man. It's work. Don't ask."

"Ah." Vyx smirked. "I guess that's why you got this other lad with ya?" He nodded his head in greeting to Satoshi who returned the gesture.

"Yeah. Third time I've had to work with him."

The elderly man rubbed his chin, studying Satoshi. "Hmm... You seem familiar. You ever passed through here before?"

Satoshi shrugged. "Probably. Got any more specific time in mind?"

Vyx studied him some more, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Nah, can't be the same person. Sorry, you just remind me of someone who passed through here many years ago, probably when you were still a kid."

"Yeah...that's probably the reason..." muttered Satoshi, glancing away.

Their conversation with the innkeeper was cut off by the sound of a chair slamming against the ground. Looking over their shoulders, they saw a young, blond boy with his hands planted firmly on the table he had been sitting at. Across from him were the flamboyantly dressed circus folk. There was some sort of argument going on between them.

"That medal was a memento of my mother. Please do something!" begged the young boy.

A burly man with green hair, a pearl necklace—Gonzola—sat across from the young boy. With his arms crossed, he shook his head. "No can do. We had our hands full just getting through there. There's no way we're going back to that place!" Behind the green-haired man, the rest of the troupe—one woman and two other men— nodded their heads in agreement.

Bored with what they were talking about, Ryudo looked back at Vyx, swirling the drink he had just gotten. "What's the deal with those clowns?"

Drawn back to talking with Ryudo, Vyx smirked after he handed Satoshi a drink. "Funny you call them that. They ducked in here to slip away from some monsters that apparently took a liking to their finery. Along the way, the monsters seem to have lifted some precious bauble from the lad. I figure him to be a runaway, and a wealthy one at that. Might look into it, Ryudo. Accidents do happen..."

Behind them, the blond boy slammed his hands onto the table, drawing attention from everyone in the inn again. "I beg you again... Is the answer still no?" he pleaded.

The green-haired man was starting to get annoyed. "When I say NO, I mean NO. We're born with so much luck, kid. Personally, I'm saving mine for retirement."

One of the men behind him who wore a spiked-collar and had several piercings in his face—Risotto was his name—spoke up. From the way he talked, it was assumed by nearly everyone that he was definitely not the smartest one out of them. "Yuh, ree-tire-ment. What da boss sez is right." Uncertain of what he said himself, he looked over to the pink-haired woman. "Right, Paella?"

A flirtatious smirk on her face, she brushed her hand through her long pink hair. "That's right. Bravery is not the same as bravado, right, Gonzola? Push your luck and you'll lose it all."

The other man, Carapaccio, one with a wide grin that suggested that he was quite sneaky, spoke up next. "Yah, it's just like Paella says." He gave a creepy chuckle that matched his looks. "The odds are too stacked. We just ain't cut out for these high-stakes gambles."

The blond boy begged again. "Please help me, I beg of you! It... It's precious to me!"

"You just don't understand how the world works. It ain't our job to be fighting in the first place. If you want some monsters slain, boy, why not go ask the Geohound over there?" Gonzola pointed over to where Ryudo and Satoshi sat.

Whispers about a Geohound filled the room for a moment as nearly all attention was placed on the two of them. Turning around, the young boy spotted the small company. He clearly needed his medal back since he decided to ask the Geohound. As he walked over, Satoshi sunk into the stool, not wanting to be asked, while Ryudo almost seemed to bristle at what was coming next.

The blond boy addressed Ryudo. "Please! A monster has stolen my precious medal. It was...a memento of my mother. Will you help me get it back! Please? I can pay you whatever you ask..." he begged.

Scoffing, the brunet shook his head. "Sorry. I cannot spare the time. I'm already in the middle of one job."

Elena looked from the young boy to Ryudo. "Ryudo... I think we should tr—"

He scowled and cut her off. "Aren't we in a hurry to get you to the Cathedral?" His look not getting softer, he glanced over his shoulder at the boy. "Sorry, kid, but you'd better give up on your medal."

His expression falling, the boy's shoulders dropped. "...Do-Do I have to?..." Casting his eyes down, he sighed sadly. "I-I guess so..." Dejected, he dragged his feet over to the back wall and sat down, hugging his knees to his chest.

"Ryudo, Satoshi, can not we do something for that little boy?" asked Elena, pity in her eyes.

Satoshi looked up at her while Ryudo placed a hand to his chin. "Gee, let me think about it," the brunet muttered, pretending to think it over. "Yeah, I think we have time to find his lost jewelry. Hell, we could find him some matching earrings. Look, if we stop for every weepy brat—no offense—we might as well set up shop with Vxy here. Now eat these and relax," he told her, pushing a bowl filled with some berries towards her.

Wary, she looked down at the berries then up at him. "'Eat these and relax?' What are you giving me?"

"Kuko Berries," replied Satoshi while Ryudo took a swig from his drink. "The locals chew on them. They make the corners round. Take it easy the first time, though."

Still staring at the Geohounds questioningly, she slowly began to eat the red berries. After a few, she became more relaxed and started to eat them at a slightly faster pace. Coughing once, Ryudo looked away from her and back to Vyx.

"Seems the thing we should be worrying about is finding our way through here safely. If the road is blocked, we'll need to take a detour. But I don't know of a good path..." He looked over to Satoshi who shook his head at Ryudo's unasked question. Grunting softly, he eyed Elena. "Now if we weren't saddled with the broad...we could probably cut our way through those monsters," he sighed. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that Elena had not stopped eating once. He grabbed the bowl away from her. "HEY! What are you doing? You're meant to take it easy with those!" he shouted at her.

Her eyes barely open, she giggled uncontrollably. Her cheeks were a bright red from all the Kuko Berries she had eaten. "Ryuuuudooo...Satoooshiiii...I feel kindaaa funny..." She gave a drunken hiccup.

_KLONK_!

Elena's head fell face-first onto the table, drawing attention from a few people nearby. Giving her an odd stare, then glancing back at Satoshi who shrugged, Ryudo stood up, followed shortly after by Satoshi. Together, the two of them dragged the unconscious Elena up the small flight of stairs to an unoccupied room after a quick talk with Vyx about their stay for the night.

After closing the door to Elena's room, Ryudo shook his head in disbelief.

"I can't believe that girl. She ate enough Kuko Berries to kill the Pope," he said, holding his arms out wide for a second.

"Strange way to put it," muttered Satoshi.

"At least it's finally quiet. She'll sleep well. Not bad for her first time, actually," commented Skye.

The brunet shook his head again. "Whatever. Hopefully, she won't keep trying to outdo me after this. I'm getting tired of this high-maintenance stuff, man."

"The things we do for our pay..." mused Satoshi, walking alongside Ryudo as they went further down the hall. They stopped in front of Ryudo's room, but he did not enter.

"What are you thinking?" questioned Skye, narrowing his eyes at the Geohound.

"Thought we'd take care of business while we can." Smirking, he glanced over at Satoshi who blinked once in confusion before sharing in the smirk. With Elena unconscious for who knows how long, it was the chance they needed to create a path to the Baked Plains. And that path would have to be lined with the blood of monsters, something that the Songstress would not be able to handle. No, it was something that the Geohounds had to take care of themselves.

Motioning Satoshi to follow, Ryudo opened the door to his room and sat on the bed. Gliding from his shoulder, Skye perched on the chair by the desk, Hisashi joining him within seconds. With his arms crossed, Satoshi leaned against the wall once he had closed the door. Taking the small opportunity he had, Ryudo relaxed slightly.

"What made you decide to get to work right now? Have a soft spot for the kid?" inquired Skye, tilting his head to the side.

"The circus brat?" He scoffed, "Hardly. We won't get anywhere unless we cut through those monsters first. And if an entire nest of them is involved... Well, you know. Best to get rid of all the carnage now rather than when the princess is with us." He glanced over at a slightly tense Satoshi. "You okay with that?"

"Huh?" His bright eyes snapped open. "Oh. Yeah." Drifting back into silence, Satoshi's brow creased, staring around the room like something was there that shouldn't be.

From the chair, the little gold dragon flicked his tail around playfully. Suddenly, Hisashi's head snapped around, scanning the room like he had heard something. Whatever he might have heard, no one else had noticed it. He gave a low hiss, rearing his neck up and glaring at a point in front of Ryudo. The tension from Hisashi was passed on to Satoshi first. Noticing the distraught creature, and sharing in that feeling, Satoshi glanced over to his old friend.

"What is it, Hisashi?" asked the Geohound. The other two looked at the small dragon. He was about to respond when a cackling filled the air.

A cackle that none of them had wanted to hear again.

"What in blazes...?" Ryudo cried out when he and Satoshi stood up straight. All four of them were looking around frantically when a familiar voice filled the room.

"Found you," it cooed playfully.

Getting defensive, Ryudo glared around his room. "Who are you? Show yourself!" he demanded. Everyone tried to spot the source of the voice. With a powerful gust, a gray whirlwind appeared in front of Ryudo, right where Hisashi had been looking before. The two fliers lifted themselves in the air as the whirlwind subsided. Standing in its place was the redhead they had faced in Carbo. "It—It's you!"

Millenia gave a playful smile, a hand on her hip. "Awww...how sweet!" she nearly squealed. "You remember me!" Her kind looked melted into a seductive one. "You remember my promise too? I won't let you get away this time..." With a wave of her arm, the same purple lightning from before coiled around Ryudo, forcing him to sit back on the bed.

He was completely paralyzed.

"I can't...move..." he whispered, eyes wide with fear.

"You!" shouted Skye. "What are you doing to Ryudo!"

Glaring, Millenia spun around on her heel. "Same thing I'm doing to you, BIRD," she yelled back angrily. With another wave of her arm, she paralyzed the two creatures at the same time. With a loud thud, they were flung up against the wall behind them, their wings pinned up against it. The little dragon hissed loudly, baring his sharp teeth at her.

"Why you...!" shouted Satoshi as he tried to take running swipe at the woman. Glancing to her side, her eyes flashed before she waved her arm again. Feeling like he had been punched in the gut, Satoshi was flung back to the wall, paralyzed in the same manner as everyone else.

Giggling at her new prisoner, she walked up to Satoshi first, heels clicking on the floor with each step. "That was a futile effort, but it is nice to know that there are still men out there who care about their friends and loved ones," she teased. Her gaze looked Satoshi up and down. He looked back at her like she was insane...which was a fair, considering what she tried to do last time. "My, my, my...a man of mystery, are we? You must be with that mask, and a dragon as your companion! Never seen that before." Satoshi tried to struggle free, but no matter what he tried, he could not gain control of his body. "I'll figure you out soon enough."

Back on the bed, Ryudo grunted as he tried the same futile struggle as Satoshi did. Noticing her main prey was attempting at escape, she focused her attention back on him. Grinning, she took slow steps toward him, that same sway in her hips from before. "Now, Ryudo! Don't move, dear," she cooed with a wink. Sliding her hands up to his shoulders, Ryudo tried to struggle again, but all he could control was his voice.

"G—Get away!" he shouted.

Right at that moment, a loud knock came from the door.

"Uh, hey, Roan's gone off somewhere. You guys seen him!" came the unintellectual voice of Risotto.

Standing up straight, Millenia turned around and looked to the door. "Oh my. What do we have here?" she asked innocently, like she had done nothing to the Geohounds.

"Let us free first!" grunted Ryudo.

She gave a disapproving sniff at him. Sighing, she gave a reluctant wave of her arm, releasing everyone in one go. Rushing over to Satoshi, he first made sure he was alright. After haven been waved off by him, Ryudo then went to the door. "What's happening? I'll be right there!" he shouted through the wood. He could barely hear Risotto walk off.

With Satoshi at his side and their companions perched on their shoulders, Ryudo opened the door and headed down, Millenia trailing them. The Geohounds gave each other a look when they descended the stairs, not really enjoying her coming with them. Down in the main room, all of the circus folk were gathered around a table, the only one missing was the blond-haired boy, Roan.

As before, Gonzola was sitting in a chair, his arms crossed. "Didn't think the kid had that much moxie. Running a one-man act's no good. Almost enough to make a man's sleep wicked," he said when the group of three walked up to them.

Paella shot a glare at Gonzola. She seemed like someone who could be sweet one moment, but a raging storm the next...which reminded the Geohounds of someone else they knew. "Two can't walk a tightrope. If the boy wants to make his own bed, then let him eat it too," the pink-haired woman said harshly.

The suspicious-looking Carapaccio—whose sneaky grin was still in place—stroked his chin pensively. "His own bed, mmm... He is not our problem. But still, he is young, very young... Too young to tow the line, perhaps."

The redhead placed a hand on her hip and looked to Ryudo. "Ryudo, what's with these losers?" she said, shooting the circus folk a disgusted sneer.

"These carnies? They're all mopey 'cause the runt ran off to feed some monsters. A scrub like him won't make half a meal," he responded.

"And you didn't do anything? What's wrong with you? Go find him!" she ordered the flamboyantly-dressed people.

"We know where he goes, yes we do," returned Carapaccio, rubbing his hands together in an obsessed manner. "But there are monsters...many monsters."

The thick-looking man, Risotto, took a step forward. "Let's go! It's not right to leave the boy alone in a lion cage!" That sounded to them like it was the most intelligent thing he had ever said.

"I reckon we could worry 'til the bearded lady sings, or we could find the little nipper and be done with it," said Gonzola.

Ryudo raised his hands to stop them from getting carried away. "Hey, hang on. We were gonna waste the monsters anyway, so if we find him, we'll bring him back here."

"Now hang on there, feller. We'd better come with you. We're only circus folk, but you'll be needing some company anywise."

"Keep your cream pies and seltzer water to yourselves. Your assistance isn't needed."

Millenia smiled brightly as she looked back at Ryudo. "Aww...you're a sweetheart, aren't ya?" Taking a step closer, she clung onto his arm tightly, nuzzling her head against his shoulder. "This should be fun!"

Wrenching his arm out of her grip, he took some long steps back. "If your idea of fun is wading through rivers of blood, gobbets of flesh and gut fresh upon your lips then yes, it will be fun," he nearly shouted, trying to get the weight of the situation across.

The redhead glared at him. "Then what're we waiting for, tiger! I'm getting angtsy. 'Course I could just have some fun right here, if you want..."

"This woman is a couple eggs shy of a basket," muttered Skye, clicking his beak to emphasis what he said.

Her glare switched to him. "Hey, BIRD! Just how badly do you want to be turned into charcoal!" With her glare disappearing, she looked to Satoshi, giving an innocent smile to him. "Now what's so bad about me coming along? I mean, really?"

He said nothing in return, his only indication that he even heard what she said was an eyebrow rising.

"Maybe she'll go away if we ignore her," whispered Hisashi.

Her head snapped to focus on Hisashi. "I heard that, you little lizard! You must want to become a fossil REAL bad!" she hissed at him.

"Fine, fine," interjected Ryudo before anything else happened. "Come along, then. But stay out of our way," he warned her.

Her anger once again just fading away, she turned and smiled at Ryudo. "See? That wasn't too hard, now was it? Confident, yet willing to listen to reason. Just what I want in a M-A-N."

As she headed for the door, head held high, and nearly dragging Ryudo behind her, Ryudo shot back a pleading look at Satoshi. He shrugged apologetically; there was not much he could do to help the poor man.

Once they got outside, Ryudo was able to escape from the grip Millenia had on him, and took the lead. Jogging past the few guards, they reached the wooden barricade. The guard standing beside it glanced at them, but other than that payed them no heed. They moved to jump over the barricade, but attempting that caught the guard's attention.

"Hey, hey! It's not safe past here," he cautioned them.

Satoshi gave the guard a dry stare. "Yeah, we know." He purposely drummed his fingers over the hilt of his blade, drawing the guard's attention to it.

The guard, after glancing back up at the trio, sighed. "If you don't care about dying, suit yourself," he muttered, pulling back one of the three barricades. They quickly took the easy passage and filed through the small gap. "You're as nuts as that little boy," the guard whispered, waiting until the passed completely before he closed the barricade again.

The part of the town on this side of the wall was completely desolate. It could be seen that it was once a nice place to live, but no more. Ruins were crumbling into the dusty dirt. The stone path was cracked and broken, leaving behind ideal places to trip. Remnants of a fountain—probably not unlike the one that had been in Carbo—lay at the center of the ruined town. If Elena had been with them, they were certain that she would have become sickened by what else lay in the ruins.

Even the Geohounds were disturbed by what was there.

Piles of smoldering flesh were dotted around the place. The stench of the long-burned-out fires still hung in the air, making the Geohounds place an arm in front of their face to block the horrid smell. Though they were used to the stomach-churning scents that came with battle, burning flesh was still unpleasant to both of them. Sighing in disgust, the three of them headed for the cliff-face at the far end of the ruined part of the town.

When they reached the cliff-face, they stared up at it.

"Where are we meant to go now?" asked Ryudo.

"Over there?" answered Satoshi, pointing to the left of where they were. Taking several steps back, Ryudo and Millenia looked towards where the other Geohound had pointed. Barely visible in the night, there was an entrance into a large cave.

"Well then, we'll start there."

"Oooh, this should be exciting!" squealed Millenia as the small group headed for the entrance. Both of the Geohounds rolled their eyes, hoping that if there was going to be upcoming battles that the strange redhead would finally stop talking and fight.

Their footsteps bounced off the bare walls, Millenia's heels having a distinguishable sound from the heavy boots of the Geohounds. Torches were placed evenly along the walls of the entrance. Being slightly preemptive, Satoshi drew his broadsword, gripping the red hilt tight despite the fact that there were no monsters in sight. The further they went in, the stronger the sound of running water became. After passing what seemed to be a stone arch, the thee of them stopped and looked around the vast cavern that was Durham Cave.

Walking up to the edge of the outcrop they were on, they studied the cave. Water flowed throughout the cavern. Water droplets echoed when they fell from the stalactites and hit either the limestone floor or water below. Reaching down, Satoshi picked up a loose rock and tossed it down to the water below them. After a while, they heard a soft _plonk_ as the rock fell into the water. It was quite a ways down, and there appeared to be no way to get off the ledge they were on.

"Great, if we jump down to the lower levels, we'll probably get injured," grunted Ryudo.

"I'm not flying you anywhere again, buddy-boy," huffed Skye.

"And those canals are too shallow for us to jump in and swim out without breaking some bones," added Satoshi. The three humans all became quite annoyed. Was this as far as they could go already? They hadn't even started!

"Argh! That's it! It's not that far down. We might make it if we land just right." Tired of waiting, Ryudo backed up, getting ready to jump off the right side of the ledge to a lower level.

"Wait!" commanded Satoshi, hurrying to Ryudo's side and stopping him. "I think there's another way."

"What is it?" asked Ryudo and Millenia at the same time.

The blue-haired Geohound pointed a finger to the roof of the cave. Just above where the ledge they were on stopped, several large stalactites hung precariously.

"How the hell are those supposed to be another way down?" asked Ryudo, twisting his face in confusion.

Not answering, Satoshi bent down to pick up another, slightly larger, rock. Tossing it in his hand once, he then brought it back over his shoulder and flung it towards the ominous stalactites. The noise of rock hitting rock filled the cavern for a moment. Near silence followed, and for a few seconds, nothing happened. Suddenly, a large crack reached their ears. Satoshi had broken the hold of the stalactites. One by one, they came crashing down into the limestone below. If anyone had been standing below them, they would not have survived. Not wasting any time, the three of them rushed down the make-shift stairs the stalactites had created.

Following the only available path, they headed into another part of the giant cavern. Inside were many old crates and various barrels. A little noise caught their attention. Behind from one of the stacks of crates came a little creature. The little animal, barely larger their heads, had cream-colored fur, large ears, big eyes, and a long tail that had a red ball at the end. Running past them, the creature growled at them—which didn't sound as menacing as other animals' growls—and stamped the ground in anger.

Calmly walking forward, Ryudo knelt down near the little rodent-like animal. Surprised, the creature stared up at him, tilting its head back and forth in confusion. "This squirrel-fox-rodent thing must be Carro. They say he forages for Poff Nuts," commented the brunet.

"C'mon, we gotta hurry." Satoshi slung his sword over his shoulder, staring down at the Carro for a moment before heading off towards the other exit to what seemed to be a storage room. Standing up, Ryudo headed after Satoshi, as did Millenia. As they hurried up the small incline, they could still hear the little Carro in the room behind them.

In front, Satoshi stopped. Coming up to his side, Ryudo looked down. They were at the edge of yet another ledge. Ryudo smirked for a moment before jumping down. Sighing, Satoshi followed suit and landed softly next to the other Geohound. Stepping aside, the two Geohounds made room for Millenia to jump down. In one fluid motion, the redhead jumped off the ledge and landed like it was the easiest thing in the world. Despite having high heels, she was quite mobile in the rough terrain of Durham Cave.

Ryudo took one look around the room and grunted in frustration. "Dammit! Now what do we do?" All that there was in this room were several more crates and a large boulder.

"Got any more bright ideas?" asked Millenia to Satoshi, a hand on her hip.

Sheathing his sword, Satoshi walked over to the boulder. Flexing his hands for a moment, he then placed them on the boulder and began to push. Grunting, he put all of his weight into it, his feet slowly slipping against the stone floor. "Little...help..." he grunted, nearly losing his footing. Ryudo quickly came to Satoshi's aid, and together they sent the boulder rumbling down towards the far end of the room. The giant boulder came to a crashing halt when it hit the wall, practically disintegrating it and itself.

"There's the way out," commented Satoshi, dusting off his hands before drawing his sword again. They barely had time to head towards the new exit before several large snakes rapidly slithered up to them.

"Dammit!" Satoshi cried out, lunging forward to slice the first one in two. Dark blood sprayed against the Geohound as the battle began.

With several of the purple Crag Snakes, it was proving to be slightly difficult to keep themselves from getting bitten. One of the snakes reared back, preparing to shoot venom at Ryudo. He noticed too late to do anything for himself. Just as the Crag Snake was about to spit the poisonous venom at him, it was impaled through the head by a bolt. It was an instant death for the snake. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ryudo glanced over and saw Millenia had a crossbow and was picking off the snakes one by one. Though normally crossbows were slow and heavy to use in battle, Millenia was wielding hers with great speed and accuracy.

In nearly no time at all, the room no longer had any slithering snakes.

"That was beautiful, you guys!" Millenia cried out in a victorious manner.

Ryudo smirked as he sheathed his sword. "Looks like this place just got a little more interesting."

Continuing on their way, they eventually navigated to the depths of the cave where a fairly large body of water was. Along its shore were three large monsters, Troglodytes. Cornered against the waters was the young boy they were looking for, Roan.

Ryudo's mouth fell open in surprise. "He got all the way in here... He did good to get here alone..."

"Say, is that the monster over there?"

Satoshi sighed while Ryudo responded, "Nooo... He's the one we rescue!"

Drawing their weapons, the three of them joined the fray. The Troglodytes had thick blue hides, and so their attacks did less damage than usual. Not wanting to take longer than they needed now they were here, the three of them each performed a special attack on each of the beasts. Ryudo swung his mighty blade to execute the Tenseiken Slash. To his side, Satoshi was barely able to pull off his own signature sword move, Double Slash. Finally, Millenia raised her bow to the final Troglodyte and let go a bolt with such speed and force that it went straight through the head of the beast. All thee Troglodytes fell down dead soon after the battle started.

Running up, Roan beamed a smile at his rescuers. His sky blue eyes sparkled with warmth in contrast to Ryudo's slightly cold deep blue ones. "Thank you very much for saving me!" thanked Roan, bowing his head in gratitude.

"You're making me regret it already," grunted Ryudo. "You shouldn't be here, kid." He took a step forward, emphasizing what he was about to say. "Go home," he ordered.

Taken aback only for a moment by what the Geohound said, Roan quickly became defensive. "What about YOU three? What are you doing!"

Stepping forward, Millenia gave a happy smile. "We're ridding the land of pests." The way she said made it seem as though they did it all the time.

"So, when do we get rid of you?" commented Satoshi quietly from behind.

"Really? Then please take me along too!" pleaded Roan, not even hearing the comment Satoshi made about Millenia.

Ryudo grunted in annoyance. "Gimme a break! We're not running a daycare, kid. Go HOME!" he barked.

Standing quietly, Roan raised his head to Ryudo, a fire of determination burning in his eyes. "I will not go... I am not playing around! I cannot lose that medal. It is the last thing my late mother left to me..."

"Well, when you run into her, tell her that she should have left you some common sense instead."

"It's precious! I cannot lose it... NO MATTER WHAT!" Roan yelled. Running up, he started to pound his fits in anger on Ryudo who hardly seemed fazed by the young boy's actions. After a moment, he stopped, a fist still raised in the air. "I will absolutely, positively...get it back..."

Ryudo took a step back from the determined boy. Running up from behind, Millenia looked down at Roan. Smiling and clapping her hands together, she quickly drew him into a hug from behind. "Mmmmm. You're sooo cute! I've decided. I'll take you along!" Ryudo and Satoshi stumbled back from surprise by Millenia's choice. Pulling back, Millenia spun Roan around to face her. "My name is Millenia. What's yours?" she asked sweetly.

"I am Roan... Th- thank you very much, Miss Millenia."

Ryudo quickly waved his hands in protest. "Hey, hey. I don't want any part of this. There's a rough road

ahead. He'll only be a burden on you."

Looking up from Roan, Millenia smiled at Ryudo, clasping her hands together. "I'm sooo happy! Ryudo, are you really worried about me? You are a good man, after all." She raised the back of her hand to her forehead, getting a little dramatic. "As weak and frail as I am, I will show you how to protect this child." Grinning, she stared adoringly down at Roan. "We'll be fine! Right?"

"Yes! I shall not give you any trouble!" the young boy responded.

Still smiling, Millenia drew Roan in for a tight hug, stroking his hair like some sort of pet. Ryudo and Satoshi shook their heads, sharing a glance before they turned their backs on the moment.

"'Weak and frail'? Uh-huh. Just don't forget to feed him and change his litter twice a day," commented Ryudo. "Hey! Turn off the waterworks, kid. There IS a tooth fairy, all right?"

Roan suddenly perked up. Spinning around, he couldn't help but smile widely at the Geohound. "So you'll take me along!"

"For now. But, if you slow us down or just piss me off, your butt will be skipping down Lollipop Lane on its own."

"Understood!"

Fighting their way through the various reptilian monsters that hung in the shadows, they slowly made their way further into the depths of Durham Cave. Roan was proving to be stronger than he seemed to be. Quick on his feet, and a smaller target than the others, he was able to dodge many attacks that came his way. Eventually, they reached the lowest level of the cave where a giant minotaur-like creature waited for them. Weapons all drawn, the group of four walked down the limestone bridge to where the Durham Minotaur waited with baited breath.

When they neared, the Durham Minotaur let out a mighty roar, and the battle was on.

The large monster moved sluggishly around what was now a battlefield. As if one giant monster wasn't enough, two more Troglodytes came up from behind to join the fight.

"You guys take care of that big lug! I'll take care of the smaller ones!" ordered Satoshi. Turning around, he charged for the Troglodytes.

The remaining three went for the Durham Minotaur. Dodging to the side of a swiping claw, Ryudo moved in to slice the beast on its side. While most of the time Ryudo's strike would have left a deep gash on a monster, the Durham Minotaur had such thick hide that it barely left a scratch. Cursing, he attempted to get far enough away before he got struck. It was no use. In a flash, the large, meaty hand of the minotaur whacked Ryudo across his side, sending him flying back.

A yell escaping her lips, Millenia sent a flurry of bolts at the Durham Minotaur. Not being noticed in all the commotion, Roan ran up and drove his knife as deep as he could get it into the minotaur's leg. Unlike Ryudo, he was able to get back in time before a hoof would have squashed the young boy. Still shaken, Ryudo pushed himself up to stand.

"Torture!" Ryudo yelled out. Using the mana egg he had gotten from Millenia before this battle started, he sent out a raging ball of fire straight at the minotaur's face. Flinging its head back, the beast howled as it clawed at its face in attempts to get rid of the pain.

"Fierce winds...tear them asunder!" someone yelled out from behind. Finished with the two Troglodytes, Satoshi joined in the battle with the Durham Minotaur. Above where the monster stood, the winds began to pick up speed. It moved so fast that spinning, razor-sharp disks of wind formed. In a second, they rushed down and sliced through the thick hide of the minotaur. The beast cried out in anguish as the onslaught on it did not stop.

Taking this chance, Ryudo ran up to the beast, slid under its wide stance, and jumped up, performing a Tenseiken Slash along the monster's back. Rolling away, Ryudo hurried back to a safe distance as the Durham Minotaur howled in pain.

"I think we got it!" proclaimed Roan, a smile coming to his face through his heavy breaths.

But, despite their efforts, the he minotaur refused to die, letting out a defiant bellow as the companions looked on.

Ryudo gulped, not wanting to have to continue fighting. "Well, that did a lot of good. Might as well camp out here. We can wait until he dies of old age."

"Why the hell won't it die!" grunted Satoshi in anger, gripping a new wound he had received on his arm.

"What do we do? At this rate..." began Roan.

Before anything else could happen, the minotaur suddenly burst into flames. The large fire consumed every inch of the giant beast. Greatly confused, the three of them looked around and spotted Millenia holding out a hand in the direction of the monster. The flames flickered back at them in her green eyes. The howls of the monster suddenly ended. Looking back, they saw the giant beast had keeled over and died.

"Serves you right to be toying with the 'Wings of Valmar!'" Millenia said defiantly to the corpse.

"What was that? Who...or what...ARE you!" asked Ryudo in confusion, staring at Millenia like she was insane.

"The Wings of Valmar... No..." whispered Satoshi. A look crossed his concealed face for a moment, one that was made completely up of fear and pain.

"Oops! I said that out loud, didn't I? Never mind me," she said sweetly, waving a hand in attempts to dismiss the matter.

Roan spoke up. "We were sure in trouble there. What would have come of us if you had not..."

"Forget about it. Now go get your medal!"

Roan nearly jumped at the reminder. "Oh! That's right!" Quickly, he ran off to the charred remains of the minotaur. Rummaging through what contents remained, he eventually found the golden medal his mother had left him. He held it up, smiley wildly at his treasured possession. "It's here! All because of you. Thank you very much!"

"Hang on a second...did she or did she not just refer to herself as the 'Wings of Valmar?'" interjected Ryudo, glancing from between Roan, Satoshi and Millenia.

"Huh? I do not know what you are talking about. Come on, let us hurry back," Roan laughed. "I feel so bad about making everyone worry..."

Ryudo grunted, crossing his arms. "...Lollipop Lane, kid... Lollipop Lane..."

With no more monsters to block their path, their journey back out the cave was a quick and easy one. Stepping out of the dark cave, they had to raise their hands from the early morning light.

From behind, and still in the cave, Millenia said, "Anyway, I don't want to overstay my welcome. And... Aaaa! The accursed light of the sun! It burns! It burns!" As she stepped into the light, she raised her arms to block the rays from her face. Silence hung for a few moments as the other three stared oddly at her. "...Ha! Believed me,

didn't ya? See you, Ryudo, Satoshi. Give my regards to Elena..." Stretching, she yawned. "I'm a bit tired."

"What do you mean by that? H-hey!" cried out Ryudo.

As he took a step forward, Millenia raised a hand and smoothly lowered it. A small, green shockwave of magic spread out from where she stood when she knelt down. Slowly, a violet aura of magic appeared around her, giving off a strange glow to the surroundings. Quite quickly, the violet glow changed into a bright light that completely hid Millenia from view. It grew brighter and brighter until, nearly as soon as it happened, it disappeared. Sitting where Millena once was, was Elena.

"Elena?" asked Ryudo and Satoshi in unison.

Confused to what was going on, Roan walked up to the Geohounds' sides. "Mr. Ryudo, Mr. Satoshi, what just happened...? Miss Millenia is not really the Wings of Valmar, right! Please tell me!"

"According to her, yeah," answered the brunet.

Roan quickly shook his head. "No...but Valmar is the Devil... But Miss Millenia is so pretty and kind..."

Shrugging the matter aside, Ryudo looked back down at the Songstress. "Hey, Elena. Wake up! Elena!"

Blinking a couple times, the young woman looked up at the people standing in font of her. "Oh. Good morning, Ryudo, Satoshi. Mmm..." Stretching lightly, she stood up and glanced around. "Huh? Where am I?"

"You all right?" asked Satoshi.

"How did I get to this place?"

Shaking his head, Ryudo quickly voted on heading back to the inn for an explanation. With everyone else agreeing, they all headed back, Elena being the only one who was not tired. When they took a table at the inn did the two Geohounds begin to explain.

When they finished, Elena asked, "Do you speak the truth? Or is this yet another of your amusements?"

"If it were, you'd fail to notice, remember?" smirked Ryudo. Becoming serious, he added, "She calls herself

Millenia, but she also said that she is the 'Wings of Valmar.'"

"This cannot be..."

"Miss Elena, I saw her too," said Roan.

"Ditto," added the two flyers.

"So, the Wings of Valmar are...inside of me..." muttered Elena, too disheartened by the news to look up.

Satoshi opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the arrival of Gonzola and Paella.

"Well, well. Sonny, you're back!" congratulated Gonzola, coming to the side of their table. "Right done, friend. You've made good on your fancy talk... And I see you have yourself a few women. Heh, I envy you, feller. Though, the other filly you was with got my blood a stirrin'."

Paella, clearly getting angered, glared at the burly man. "Really, DEAR? I'd like to see this... maybe after my next knife act..."

"It cannot be...last night...! That woman is evil incarnate! She brings nothing but sorrow and misfortune!" warned Elena.

"That so? Then I reckon she ain't too much different from any other woman," laughed Gonzola.

"I can tell you about ONE woman who's going to be bringing you sorrow, HONEY."

"Now, now..." soothed Roan before some sort of fight broke out between the two. Turning around, he looked back at the other three people. "I am uncertain... I do not think Miss Millenia is evil or anything..."

Turning around in his seat, Ryudo leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "Anyway, we can leave through the rear gate now. Unless you have some more missing jewelry, Roan..."

"If you are going across the Baked Plains, would you mind if I came along? Just me by myself is kind of ... lonely..." Roan nearly pouted.

"...Yeah, well... Elena, you probably don't want him around..."

"Oh no, not at all. I do not mind, but we need to move quickly. I must reach Granas Cathedral before long."

"Good, now that that's settled, let's get out of here." Swiftly standing up, Satoshi headed for the door. Picking up their things, the remaining three were quick to catch up. Outside, Satoshi waited. When they all joined back up, the four—six when including Hisashi and Skye—of them headed through the ruins of Agear and for the Baked Plains. Just one more step closer to finishing their job...


	4. Secrets Revealed

IV

_Secrets Revealed_

The group of companions trekked through the Baked Plains, which were aptly named. All of them were growing weary from the ever-present rays of the sun. All save Hisashi, who thrived in the near-scorching heat. The golden creature danced upon the warm air currents, shooting out mocking comments to the humans below as he did.

"Keep it up, Hisashi," started Satoshi, who was suffering the most from the heat in his dark and heavy clothing. "And soon you'll find yourself in such heat that even you won't find it comfortable." The little dragon gave a pleased smirk. He seemed to take pride in being able to annoy Satoshi so easily.

"You're just jealous," he chuckled, swooping in low through the group.

"Mr. Satoshi, why don't you remove some of your gear? I'm sure it would make it much easier on you in this weather," suggested Roan.

Ryudo glanced over at the other Geohound who rolled his eyes and ran a gloved hand down his face. "Don't make me repeat myself again, Roan... It's JUST Satoshi." The brunet could not help but snicker. First he had been the one to get all of the formalities, but now it was being passed onto the other Geohound. "Don't encourage him, Ryudo," said Satoshi dryly.

"Right, Mr... Er..." Roan caught himself. "Satoshi."

The blue-haired Geohound rolled his shoulder. "I just like it, okay?"

Barking a laugh, Ryudo decided to get some fun in at Satoshi's expense. "Oh, he has many ugly scars and a deformed face," he smirked. "They have the ability to scare away the fiercest of monsters. So why he doesn't keep them visible more often, I dunno... It sure would make fighting a lot easier."

Both Roan and Elena gasped. "You. You are dead," glared Satoshi at the cheeky Ryudo. "When this job is over, you had better run for your life." Ryudo let out a hearty laugh. He knew Satoshi would not do anything to him as long as they were both on the job, and he knew Satoshi would not lower his mask to prove him wrong to keep his disguise complete.

"Is it true, Satoshi?" asked Elena, clasping her hands together.

Satoshi opened his mouth to reply, but his friend cut in before he could. "Oh yes," chimed in Hisashi, hovering before the group as they continued on. "Horrible, horrible scars. Consider yourselves very lucky you haven't seen them." The little drake gave a shudder.

"Hisashi!" hissed the Geohound, lunging for his friend. As agile as he was, Satoshi was no match for the nimble flyer. Before his fingers coiled around his target, Hisashi flew up to safety with a single strong beat of his wings. Realizing trying to use force was useless at this time, Satoshi ran a hand down his face. "I don't have any scars or a deformed face, okay?" He let out a long sigh. "I just like it. No magical enhancement. No deep spiritual meaning. No ancient tradition to uphold. I just like it."

"But, surely comfort in heat is more impor—" began Roan.

"I LIKE it, okay? It...keeps people away." In a huff, Satoshi pulled away from the group a bit. The three that stayed back shared glances with each other. Seemed like Satoshi did not like getting too close with anyone. Above them, Hisashi sighed.

"Is he always like this?" asked Roan, looking up at the golden drake.

"Not always... He's just like this when he's around other people," replied Hisashi as he made lazy downward circles to fly by Roan's shoulder. "He really doesn't like to let anyone in."

"Why is that?"

The drake gave a small sneeze which produced a burst of flame. "I think that is something he should answer, not me."

Ryudo looked from Hisashi to Satoshi. The cold Geohound walked stiffly, as if trying to forget what had just transpired. The brunet sighed. Part of him wondered how close he had been in becoming something like Satoshi, even colder and more distant than he already was.

"Oh, sorry!" apologized Elena as she bumped into Satoshi. For some reason the Geohound had stopped. He had not even flinched when the Songstress bumped into him. Without a word, he drew his sword and pushed Elena back some. Grunting, Ryudo looked at what held Satoshi's gaze and spotted a group of bandits.

"Maybe...maybe they've leave us alone," chuckled Roan nervously.

"Afraid that won't happen," muttered the blue-haired Geohound.

"Is it the same ones as from before?" asked Ryudo, drawing forth his blade.

"Seems like... Though I will be genuinely amazed if they still remember us..."

"You dere!" shouted the bandit at the head of the group. He was the burliest one there. "You killed our leader and most of our group! Now you pay!"

Ryudo and Satoshi blinked. "So, you amazed?" questioned the brunet, taking position beside the other Geohound.

"Yes. But it's a tie being between amazed that they remember us, or just the fact they were able to FIND us."

"Well, we can ask how they did it after...if any are alive."

"Right. Elena, Roan!" barked Satoshi, looking over his shoulder. "Stay back, this is our fight."

"But—" began Roan, drawing his dagger.

"No buts!" The bandits began to charge for their group. "Stay back and you two be careful if any get through!" Letting forth their battle cries, the two Geohounds charged to meet the bandits head on.

Satoshi was first to clash blades with the bandits. He grunted at the force and strength the bandit could put out, but managed to not fall back. There came a time when fights were not all about brute strength. Smirking beneath his mask, the Geohound ducked down and kicked at the legs of the nearby bandit, sending the man to his back. Holding back laughter, Satoshi pulled away and spun around to the backside of the head bandit and slashed his blade across it. The leather armor was no match for his broadsword and so he felt the blade hit skin, but it was a shallow blow.

To his side, Ryudo started off with a Tenseiken Slash, cutting across two of the six bandits at once. Partially blinded by rage, the small group of bandits were proving to be easier foes than they first expected. Parrying a strike at him, Ryudo ducked to the side and struck the bandit through his heart. The heavy body fell and now there were only three left to deal with. The brunet looked up in time to see a mace falling straight for his head, but, just in time, Skye swooped in from behind and pecked at the bandit's exposed eyes.

Crying out in pain, the bandit's aim faltered, giving Ryudo time to step out of the way of the mace and slice his blade through the man's neck. He squinted to protect his eyes from the blood and pulled away. Now there were only two bandits left, and both of them were focused on Satoshi. He spared a glance to watch the other Geohound fight, and saw him slay the leader.

"Satoshi!" he called out, but not in time. The final bandit got in and sliced at Satoshi's head. It was good the blue-haired Geohound was fast or else he would have lost half his head. Instead of receiving that wound, he pulled back just enough so that it cut from his forehead to chin. He yelled out as the cold steel tore through his skin and mask. Screeching out in protest Hisashi dove for the remaining bandit and clamped his jaw around his neck.

Ryudo moved to help, but even injured, Satoshi was faster. He brought up his sword and hacked through the man's chest, sending him collapsing to the ground. Panting hard, he covered the wound with his hand and stumbled back towards Roan and Elena who were rushing forward.

"Satoshi! Let me see the wound," ordered Elena, going to her knees before the Geohound as he collapsed. Wincing, he shook his head once before even that was too much movement. Blood seeped out through his fingers and his mask fell as Elena tried to pull his hand away. "Please, let me see the wound."

"She's right. This is no time to let your pride get in your way, Satoshi," stated Roan.

"I'll...be fine..." he muttered, pushing away Elena. "Just...have to..." Grunting, he brought up his other hand and clasped the two together. Ryudo stood back, remembering the last time this happened. After muttering the same phrase as the one he did months ago, a light spread from the facial wound that moved to cover his entire body. Roan and Elena gasped lightly while the brunet remained like a statue.

When the light faded away, both Roan and Elena blinked at who sat in Satoshi's place.

"Sa...toshi?" asked Roan.

A chuckle escaped her lips as she opened one amethyst eye, an embarrassed smile tugging at her lips. "Not...quite," she answered, rubbing the back of her neck. The wound that would have left a hideous scar was no where to be seen. Not even a hint of blood was left on her skin.

From the side, Ryudo laughed lightly. "Gee, San, looks like whenever we cross those bandits, they somehow manage to make you lose your disguise. They must have it in for you." Sighing, San stood and punched him in the arm lightly. He muttered an "ow" and rubbed it.

"Disguise?" asked Elena and Roan. With a shake of her head, San picked up her blade and continued along their path. The Songstress and young boy were quick to follow while Ryudo picked up the rear since he knew the story already.

"I cast a spell to make it look like I'm a man for jobs. It's not easy finding work as a female Geohound," she explained. "But...since it looks like I won't have to find another job for a while, and now you guys have seen who I truly am, there's no point to keep that charade up for the time being." She leaned her head back and laughed lightly. "Not to mention it is a hell of a lot cooler without that mask on," she sighed in delight. Her sapphire hair danced on a breeze for a moment and Hisashi came swooping down beside her. "Oh yeah," she chuckled. "Real name's San."

"How is it that Ryudo knew?" questioned Elena.

"They met on a job a few months ago," answered Skye from behind. "They were asked to...take care of the group of bandits that were causing the town trouble. And, similar to today, she got injured and her disguise fell."

San rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Still can't believe I let that happen...TWICE, no less," she grumbled. The rest of the group chuckled at her reaction. At least now there was one less secret for her to worry about.

The group journeyed on through the Baked Plains, encountering only a few monsters here and there. At first the creatures had come as a surprise because they traveled underground, but once they knew what to look for, the trek across the plains became an easy one.

It was well past noon by the time the first hints of the legendary Granacliffs came into view. Along their way, Roan had ended up at the head of the group, as such, he spotted them first. "Look. I can see it! Miss Elena!" Grinning, he ran off ahead of the group.

From behind, Elena raised her hand to her mouth and laughed lightly. "He is a spirited one..."

San chuckled while Ryudo ran a hand down his face. "That wasn't the word I had in mind."

"Eccentric?" asked the blue-haired girl.

"No...not that either." He grinned and shook his head. "I suppose we should take a look." The group made it to the top of the hill they were on where Roan was waiting. Elena let out a sharp gasp and took a step back from the edge when she saw the great cliffs. Walls of white dropped into the depths of the land. Making sure her footing was secure, San moved right up to the edge and looked down. It was times like that she was glad she was not afraid of heights.

"These are the Granacliffs," announced Roan.

"How perceptive," muttered San. "Wonder how far it is to the bottom..."

Coming up from behind, Ryudo grabbed her shoulder. "Care to find out?" he smirked.

Before Ryudo could try anything, San shook off his hand and promptly backed up a few steps. "Not today."

"So these are the Granacliffs..." murmured Elena, her breath taken away from their majestic look.

"A scar splitting the face of the Silesian Continent..." reported Ryudo, placing a hand on his hip as he looked out across the white-faced cliffs. "I take it you haven't seen it before."

Elena slowly shook her head. "Scripture speaks of it, yet the size..."

"They do normally forget a size scale of some sort in scriptures," mumbled San, cupping her chin in her hand.

"The land still aches, its wound yet felt... The Battle of Good and Evil still so close," continued Elena.

Snorting a laugh, Ryudo then sighed. "And still...after all these years...no one has come up with a better name than the 'Battle of Good and Evil'."

"They must have had some pretty bad imaginations back when it happened," nodded San, scratching Hisashi's eyeridge.

Elena sniffed in disapproval at their comments, but otherwise ignored their remarks. "How will we make our crossing?" she asked.

"Look over there." Pointing to a point further out in the Granacliffs, Roan drew their attention to it.

The ground beneath them began to unexpectedly shake, making all of them take a few more steps back. From beneath the fog in the Granacliffs rose a giant machine where Roan had been pointing. It was a brightly-colored aircraft with large parachute-like structures on it. The machine made its way across the wide cliffs via cable.

"That's called the Skyway," explained Roan as the rest of the group stared at it dumbfounded. "We ride on that across the Granacliffs. The ship lands in a town not far ahead. Once we cross here, it is only a stone's throw to the St. Heim Papal State."

"Or, you could all grow wings and I wouldn't have to wait for you," commented Skye, smugly. As if in response to his comment, Hisashi flew up and did a lazy figure-eight about the group.

"Wings are so handy," he grinned.

"Show off," grumbled San, reaching out and snatching him from the air.

"Incredible..." breathed Elena. "This is just so exciting!"

"Don't overdo it," sighed Ryudo. "We're camping here tonight."

"Good idea..." agreed Roan, stretching.

"Hey, Elena." Ryudo snapped his fingers in front of the Songstress' face. "Sleeping on your feet again? Let's move!"

"Hmm? Oh, no, not at all!"

San quickly chuckled at her delayed response. Following Ryudo's suggestion, the group set up the large tent down in the small clearing next to some tall grass. The wind produced by the cliffs whistled by and nearly wailed as they set up for dinner.

Night fell and they all circled about the crackling fire.

"Dinner with a view, kids," smirked Ryudo. "Watch your step when you go to the little girl's room."

"Or else you guys will be able to answer my previous question on how long it would take to get to the bottom." An evil grin broke across San's face. Ever since she no longer had to keep up her disguise, she had become a bit more open. Still the sarcastic and distant Geohound they had come to know, but just a tad more open.

"The Granacliffs are incredible...! You must see them to believe them. The world is really in a pitiful state," sighed Elena, her shoulders dropping.

"It sure is a hassle that the world is split in half by the Granacliffs..." nodded Roan. "Now I remember! It was the Battle of Good and Evil that made these Granacliffs, right? Miss Elena, will you tell me about the Battle of Good and Evil?"

The Songstress clasped her hands together and slowly answered, "I don't really know much myself, but... they say long ago the people lived happily bathed in the light of Lord Granas. Then Valmar came and tried to take the light from the people. And so began the Battle of Good and Evil. At the battle's end, Lord Granas' sword which he raised to cut down Valmar, went right through Valmar into the earth, creating a huge fissure across the land... And that is how the Granacliffs came to be."

"Now that you mention Valmar, the Devil of Darkness, can you feel Miss Millenia? Miss Elena?"

She shook her head, and moved her hands as though she were saying a prayer. "I cannot believe it! That Valmar is inside me... People must not be caught by Darkness. They will be able to live only in Darkness. They will no longer feel for other people. Darkness warps a person's soul... If someone is truly caught by the Darkness, that person will have no future..."

Ryudo tapped his chin. "Hmm, then I guess I've...no future either."

San raised a hand as she took a swig from her drink. "I second that."

"No, no Ryudo, Sato...er, San,you cannot be...one of the Dark Ones! Darkness is much more, um, wicked..."

The blue-haired Geohound raised an eyebrow before smirking lightly. "Your point being?"

"Mister Ryudo, Miss San..." began Roan. San sighed and bristled slightly at the formality he was still using. "You are neither wicked nor a Dark One... Darkness is completely different."

The brunet sighed and waved a hand to dismiss it. "This is getting shadier by the moment. For some reason, I don't see sunshine and puppy dogs in the near future."

The Songstress sighed sadly. "I do not understand it myself, but—Darkness makes people sad and lonely... I hate it."

San sighed and scratched her head. "There are many more things out there that make people sad and lonely than just Darkness."

Silence fell for a while before Roan spoke up. "Wicked Dark Ones, huh... I do not think there is anyone anywhere who would say they love Darkness..."

San nearly choked as she barked a laugh. "You definitely still have much to see in this world."

"What do you mean?"

She shook her head. "Hopefully you'll never find out."

"Alright," interjected Ryudo. "We gotta get going early tomorrow. Let's hit the sack."

Ryudo stood up and doused the flame while the rest of the group retired to the tent. Each took a place, leaving respectable distance between each other before lying down to go to sleep. Roan was first to drift off into a peaceful sleep, followed by the Geohounds, leaving Elena to toss and turn to try and get comfortable. When she did fall asleep, however, it was not a pleasant dream at all.

"Stop, stop it..." she moaned, tossing and turning. "Stay away from me... My body is...melting! Stay AWAY from me!" she shouted, bolting up. Panting, she felt over body to make sure all of her was still there. In her commotion, she woke up the Geohounds as well.

"What's wrong, Elena?" asked Ryudo.

"You were screaming in your sleep..." commented San, standing up.

Elena buried her dace in her hands. "A huge tongue-like thing...was coiled around me... And it was...devouring me..." Moving to the Songstress' side, San placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder. Behind, Ryudo tensed.

"...Shhh! That's strange... San...do you hear that?" asked the brunet.

Standing up, the Geohound listened for what Ryudo was talking about. She looked over her shoulder and nodded. "It's too quiet..." Before there had been the chirping of crickets, but now there was a silence that smothered their senses. Even the winds from the Granacliffs seemed to have died down.

"Hey! Roan, WAKE UP!" hissed Ryudo, moving over to the boy's side and shaking his shoulder. He mumbled something as he slowly awoke. Drawing their weapons, the small group crept outside. They waited for something, anything to give a hint that something was wrong. Their request was answered when a growl dripping with hatred and rage met their ears.

Welcoming the chance of a good battle, Ryudo could not help but give a malicious grin. "Something's here..."

San rolled her eyes for a moment. "You think?"

_BAM!_

From the tall grass jumped a giant beast. No... It was not a beast. Taught muscles flexed as the creature stood...and the beast stood like a man would. Roan caught his breath and Elena screamed in fear. The creature that stood before them was some sort of beast-man. His hair was wild and untamed. His fangs were sharp and bared. In his hand was a giant battle-ax, larger than any normal human could manage to carry. Glaring at the group, he roared again to show his strength.

"I'VE FINALLY...FOUND YOU..." he snarled between deep breaths. "I'LL TEACH YOU A LESSON!" Roaring once more, the beast-man charged for the group, battle-ax cutting through the air. So caught off guard by what the creature said, the four barely had time to jump out of the way.

Elena, who had gotten the furthest away, landed the first strike. "Here goes my Impact Bomb...!" Hearing her, everyone else got as far away from the creature as possible in the time time allotted. Her aim true, the Impact Bomb blasted right in the beast-man's face, who snarled and clawed at the embers. Though most enemies would have been stumbling and faltering after a hit like that, the beast-man only became more enraged.

His blood-raged eyes became fixed on Elena. Raising his giant ax, he yelled out, "Beast-Fang Cut!" Roaring, he charged for Elena. The beast-man was an inch away before San dove in and pushed Elena to safety, resulting in the giant ax getting stuck in the ground.

Once more, Roan proved how agile he was in battle. While the ax was stuck, he went in, got a few good strikes with his dagger, and was out of harm's way just as the beast-man swung his battle-ax about.

"Ryudo!" shouted out San. As if following her cue, Ryudo charged in and performed his signature move. Many foes would have been dead and done with after all that, but not the beast-man. Panting hard from his wounds, the beast-man tried to stand. The companions readied themselves for more, but then the attacker fell to his knees. Clutching at a wound, he was reduced to using his ax to help hold him up.

Glaring, Ryudo walked forward, sword raised. The rage gone from his face, the beast-man looked up to the brunet. "Are you...not him?" he panted.

Blinking, Ryudo lowered his blade. "WHAT? What is the meaning of this? Why'd you attack me?"

Growling, the beast-man sniffed the air. "Your SMELL called me. The same SMELL as that of the villain who destroyed my village. The SMELL of that scum...drives me crazy. I must find him...this...Melfice."

As soon as the name escaped the beast-man's lips, Ryudo froze, his eyes going wide. Swooping in, Skye hovered beside his friend. "WHAT! He said Melfice! Ryudo!" The Geohound clenched his fist, memories of events he wanted to forget resurfacing. They were the same memories that had revived back in Garmia Tower. Shaking his head in denial, Ryudo covered his face with his hand.

"I smell like Melfice? Is that...true?" he asked weakly, looking down at the beast-man.

"You...you know Melfice?" growled the creature.

Regaining his composure, Ryudo placed a hand on his hip. "I might..."

"I see..." Grunting, the beast-man pushed himself to stand. Once more, he sniffed the air, longer this time. "Your SMELL does not have the dank SMELL of death..." he grumbled. Shifting his weight, the beast-man lowered his head in apology. "I had forgotten myself." Leaving the group of people somewhat stunned and surprised, he began to walk off.

Wanting answers, Ryudo took a few steps forward and raised a hand towards the beast-man "Hey! You! My bro... Is Melfice alive?"

His question caused the beast-man to pause and look over his broad shoulder towards the Geohound. "Melfice is a demon-man, bringer of ruination..." Sighing, he glanced up to the stars. "My name is Mareg. I am sorry for attacking you." Without waiting for a response, the beast-man known as Mareg escaped into the tall grass. Everyone remained silent for a moment, soaking in what had just transpired.

"Ryudo..." whispered San, taking a step forward. She studied him a moment then let out a sigh. From where she had been standing, she did not see the pained expression on Ryudo's face, but she heard it. And she knew all too well what it felt like.

"Demon-man? Bringer of ruination? He's just a common murderer!" Ryudo shook his head and clenched a fist. "He can't still be alive... I never thought I would have to re-live that nightmare again in such a place..."

Blinking, the Songstress looked from Ryudo to where Mareg had left then back to the Geohound. "...What is all this? Who is this Melfice?"

With a sigh, the brunet looked to them. "He's... He's my brother..."


	5. The Tongue Of Valmar

V

_The Tongue of Valmar_

The small group made their way easily to the near town after the battle with Mareg. Since the beast-man, silence hung in the air. Ryudo led the group, quietly brooding over the news he had received. His brother...was he really alive? The thought coursed through the Geohound's mind time and time again. The remaining companions held their tongues and did not question Ryudo any further on the matter. Now and then, however, San would spare an empathetic glance to the brunet, who in his current state, not once noticed.

"Ryudo..." said the blue-haired Geohound softly, nearing him when Ryudo paused in his step.

"What?" he nearly snapped back. When he looked back, he saw the concerned expressions on Elena and Roan, and the glare on San's face for his reaction. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. Working with other people was still not something he was accustomed to. "Sorry..." he mumbled, then re-asked his question in a softer manner.

"We're here. Liligue," she stated, placing a hand on her hip. Sure enough, the group had reached the town. Blinking, Ryudo looked back ahead of them. Lost in his thoughts, the Geohound had not even notice the place loom in front of them. It was a large town, one that relied heavily on steel for most of its buildings.

Something was odd, the group noticed, as they stepped onto the metal sidewalk at the edge of the place. For such a large town, there was hardly any sign of people. Looking around, all they saw in the immediate area was a man, woman, and a young boy.

"Dammit. This would otherwise be such a nice town..." cursed the man, shaking his head.

The woman looked to him and said, "You mean, 'if this town weren't cursed by Darkness... it would be a nice town'."

Sensing trouble, Elena walked forward. "Oh my, what is the matter?" she asked, concerned.

"I can't live here any more! We're leaving," declared the woman from the town.

Grunting, the annoyed Geohound walked up. "Leave them alone, Elena," sighed Ryudo.

The man from the town eyed the group. "You planning on staying in town? I advise against it. Besides, the gates won't open until tomorrow."

"Isn't the Skyway running?" asked San.

"Not until tomorrow, but don't get your hopes up. They don't let people on it," scoffed the man.

Eyebrows rose all around. "Come again?" coughed Ryudo.

"Huh! But people were on it just now..." interjected Roan, his brow then furrowing in confusion.

The woman from the town wore an angered expression as she replied, "For the private use of that miserable Gadan. Maybe it's for the best, since anyone who visits this town wants to leave as soon as possible." The name Gadan slipped from her tongue with malice.

The man placed a hand on her shoulder to calm the woman. "Hey, just forget about it."

"Um, if there's anything I can do..." began Elena, bowing her head slightly to them.

"Thank you for your kind offer. But we can't stay in this town. There's nothing left for us here." Finished, the family walked past the group and left the town of Liligue behind them.

"Cheerful folk," drolled Ryudo. "But, if I listened to every piece of good advice I heard, I'd have killed all of you already and run off with your gold."

San gave him a flat, unamused stare. "I think I would have beaten you to it," she retorted back.

Ryudo would have said more back, but thankfully Elena let out a soft sigh before the Geohounds butted heads. "I am exhausted. Shall we find an inn?" asked the Songstress.

"Don't worry, Miss Elena," piped up Roan, smiling. "I heard this place has, what was it...? It is a delicacy around here... If I could remember the name, we could try it."

"To the inn we go," muttered San as they headed for the nearby building. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust from the bright sunlight to the darkened building. Upon entering, the innkeeper stared at them a moment in surprise.

"Ah, some customers... how unusual," he finally muttered as the group headed for the front desk. "Here to stay the night? The only thing we got to eat is arum root. Still want to stay?"

Ryudo grunted. "Whatever. Just serve it up quick. I'm hungry."

"That's it!" cheered Roan. "The delicacy I forgot to try last time! Boy, are we lucky!" Grinning, he was the only one to be showing such enthusiasm. Elena was smiling weakly, still upset about not being able to help the two people, and the Geohounds were both giving Roan skeptical looks.

Even the Inn Master gave the boy an odd stare. "Ahem. Yes, the...delicacy. Anyway, that's all we got, take it or leave it."

"Quite a sales pitch," groaned Ryudo, rolling his eyes lightly. "How about it?" Quickly, he looked back to see what the verdict was. Roan was smiling brightly when he gave a firm nod. To his side, Elena gave a slightly calmer nod. Lastly, San gave a grudging nod accompanied by a soft grunt. The blue-haired Geohound seemed somewhat distracted, by what though, Ryudo could not tell. "Well then, looks like we're staying here the night."

It did not take long before the group sat at a dinner dinner table, the delicacy arum root before them.

"C'mon, let's try that stuff Roan calls a delicacy!" grinned Ryudo, picking up a piece of the pale root. For being a delicacy, there sure was a lot of it to go around for all of them. The brunet was the first to dig into his dinner, and once he did, his face twisted in confusion. _This...is a delicacy?_ he wondered, partially tempted to spit the root back out. "Huh...? Hey, Roan. What's this?"

The Songstress was next to try the arum root. Tentatively, she took a small bite. Once she did, she clasped a hand to her mouth from the taste. Sand and Roan then tried some as well before the blonde woman asked, "Do people really eat this? It has the oddest texture..."

Roan's face was next to twist in disgust. Promptly, he placed the rest of his arum root back on his plate. "...Yyyyyyyyyyyeecchhh! How can this be a famous local delicacy?" He shook his head in denial. "This must be an acquired taste..."

"Agh!" cried out Ryudo, pushing his plate away. "This CAN'T be edible! It's like eating sand!"

Even San felt the urge to stop eating what they thought would be a delicacy. "I'm not usually one to mind what I have to eat...but this is just HORRIBLE!" Grunting, she finished the gritty root that she had begun to eat, and then took no more.

Roan picked up a piece and looked at it. "It feels so rough in my mouth... Are you sure this is even edible?"

"I have never had such mushy food..." commented Elena. "How can people even eat this stuff!"

Leaning back, Ryudo crossed his arms, not at all pleased with the food. "This innkeeper must be psychotic to expect us to eat this! We're not going to be staying here any longer than we need to, so don't go getting comfortable..."

"Is this all they have to eat here? I think I will abstain from meals from here on out. Can we get on the Skyway soon? Please?" begged Roan.

Silence fell for a time. The meal, if one could even call it that, left much to be desired and put them in a foul mood. Ryudo had refused to eat beyond a bite more, while the others ate it slowly.

"I've been thinking," began Ryudo as the rest neared the end of the pitiful meal. "We ought to see this Gadan guy tomorrow... Let's go shake him up a bit..." All nodded in agreement. For now, there was nothing else they could do, and so the group retired for the rest of the day.

:::

The following day, the group made sure to leave early, skipping breakfast so that they would not have to eat any more of that arum root. A blazing sun shone down on them, even though it was not yet midday, with only the fewest of clouds bringing shade. The heat was made even worse from all that was reflected back at them from the metal-works. It was as though they were back in the Baked Plains. Pushing the heat aside, the group headed back along the metal sidewalk to get farther into the town.

"Oh, my goodness!" cried out Elena, clasping her hands to her mouth. The three others blinked in confusion, Ryudo even scratching his head, as the Songstress dashed forward. It took a moment, but they then saw what Elena had run forward for. A young boy was sitting by a large stone pillar. He clutched at his stomach, not looking up when she neared. "Are you all right?"

Ryudo, San, and Roan walked forward, but did not offer help. The two boys watched the younger one Elena had offered help to while San's gaze traveled up the stone pillar instead. Wider than some of the buildings around them, the ruined pillar gradually began to curve inward toward the center of the town rather than being a straight structure.

Eyes narrowing, San remained still as she looked at it. "Hisashi..." she whispered. "Do you suppose...?"

"It's possible," answered the drake in the same tone.

"Something wrong?" questioned Ryudo quietly. Gasping lightly, San looked at him. She could have sworn she had been silent enough for no one else to hear.

"It's nothing," she responded with a shake of her head.

Blue eyes locked gazes with amethyst ones as Ryudo looked at her for a second longer. "You need to work on your lying," he muttered before switching his gaze back to Elena.

"What is the matter? Where does it hurt?" asked the Songstress after the young boy did not answer her first question.

The boy shifted his position slightly, murmuring, "...I'm hungry..."

Smiling, Elena sighed in relief. "Ahh... This is a problem easily remedied. I am sure we have something to eat. Please...a moment." Rummaging through her bag, Elena then pulled forth a shiny red apple and held it out to the boy. Silently, she waited for him to take it. The young boy looked up weakly and eyed the fruit. Standing, it could be seen he wanted to take it as he opened and closed his hands a couple times.

It was then he ran off without a single word.

Confused, Elena rose and placed the fruit back in her bag. "Is...is the boy sick?" she questioned to the rest of her companions as they came up behind her. From where the boy ran, a house, came a man who seemed to bear some resemblance to the kid.

"Young miss, please do not give him any food. It is too much of a...temptation..." said the man when he neared the group.

"...What do you mean?"

"The people of this town cannot eat normal food even if they wanted to. They can only bear that disgusting arum root."

Elena then asked what was on everyone else's minds. "I do not understand... What do you mean, they cannot eat...?"

Shaking his head, the man walked off without another word. "Gee. That was helpful," scoffed San, her words thick with sarcasm.

"Elena, don't talk to strangers. Besides, they could be diseased," smirked Ryudo.

Getting defensive, Elena spun around and looked to the Geohounds. "...If so, we must help them!" she retorted back. Before any of them could respond, the Songstress ran after the man and into the house.

"She's gotta stop doing that..." groaned San as she ran a hand over her face. Ryudo barked a wry laugh in agreement and Roan nodded before they headed after her.

Inside the house, the man sat at a table with his wife and the young boy, his son, they assumed. They had already been talking with Elena when the three others entered, and after a pause to see who they were, continued.

"I'm... hungry..." grumbled the boy, his hands on his stomach.

"...I can't stand it any more," started the wife, giving a pleading look to her husband. "If we have to keep eating only arum root, we're going to die!"

The husband slammed his fist to the table. "SHUT UP!" he shouted in frustration, making everyone go quiet. "You ask for too much. Here, eat THIS!" Tossing out a piece of the arum root to his son, the husband also ate some. A face that had been contorted in anger shifted until it showed how uncomfortable he was eating the root. "Oooh... Blech!" His shoulders sank in defeat as he placed the food back down. "It's no use. I can't eat it either..."

"Dear, let's...leave this town. We can try starting a farm somewhere..."

"But we don't know if we will be able to eat even IF we leave this town!" The husband noted his rising anger and quickly calmed himself. "...I'm sorry. We will manage...somehow..."

"What exactly is going on in this town?" asked Elena.

The husband looked over to them and eyed the entire group. "You must be travelers... You ought to leave this town, quickly!"

"What is your difficulty? I serve Lord Granas, and I may be of some small help."

The wife shook her head and gave them a look of sorrow. "The people of this town have lost their sense of taste."

"Their sense of taste?"

"Thanks to the Skyway, this town was once a bustling trade center. My husband had been working on the Skyway. The work was hard, but the pay was good so we were never at want for anything..." The wife trailed off, and the husband continued for her.

"But just ten days ago, all food began to lose its taste. It was like eating sand or rocks... Soon we lost all interest in eating almost any kind of food... We thought that only we were sick, but before we knew it, everyone in town was suffering."

Finding her voice again, the wife added, "The only thing we could eat was the arum root, which was tasteless to begin with... But no matter how much we eat, we never even begin to get full..."

"I've never heard of a disease that makes you lose your sense of taste," commented Roan, tapping his chin with a finger. "How about you, Ryudo? San?"

The Geohound gave a light snort and placed a hand on his hip. "Ask Elena. She doesn't seem to have much taste in anything. Bonnets included." San chuckled lightly at his comment, but otherwise remained silent; the blue-haired Geohound still seemed to be lost in some other thoughts. Elena, however, shot a quick glare to Ryudo and sniffed in disapproval, but otherwise held her tongue.

"...Maybe this town is somehow cursed," murmured the wife. "I don't remember anyone doing anything against the will of Lord Granas..."

"You must be miserable. I wish there were something I could do..." commented Elena, clasping her hands together.

"You worked on the Skyway, right?" asked Ryudo, placing a hand on his hip. "How do we catch a lift?"

The husband looked to the brunet. "Find Mr. Gadan, manager of the Skyway. You can ask him, but I doubt he'll help you." A look of anger crossed the husband's face and he clenched a fist. Finished, the companions bid their farewells from the family and headed back outside, the bright light causing them to raise their hands from the glare.

"So where is this Gadan?" asked Ryudo.

"Near the center of the town," replied San. All of them looked at her as she muttered something to Hisashi before he flew off. The Geohound noted the awkward silence and looked over her shoulder at the rest of the group. "What? I've been through here recently, all right?" she answered before they asked the question. Grunting lightly, she headed off without waiting for any sort of response.

The streets were nearly barren of life. There were still plants scattered about to try to make the metallic place feel natural, but it was the lack of people that truly made it feel inhuman. In silence, save for the footsteps they made, the group made their way to what had to be Gadan's house. They knocked and then entered.

Once inside, they all froze in their steps at the sight before them.

Judging by what the rest of the villagers were going through, they did not expect this at all. At the center of the room before them sat Gadan, gorging himself on a massive banquet. Nearly every food they could imagine was laid out before the bulging man. He slurped up a piece of meat, not at all minding his manners, nor even noticing his guests. It took several loud "Ahems!" from Ryudo to get the man's attention.

A loud burp escaped Gadan after he scarfed down a large pastry of some sort. "Delicious! DEE-licious!" chortled Gadan. Letting out a sigh, he eyed the newcomers, finally. "Well, well, I haven't seen you around here. Something I can do for you?"

"I hear that you aren't letting anyone on the Skyway," began Ryudo, trying to hide his disgusted look. "I'm here to change your mind."

A large tongue came from Gadan's mouth as he liked his lips. San stifled a grunt in surprise. "Yes, we are not letting anyone on right now. This is a vital time for business. Carrying people drops our efficiency."

Sighing, Ryudo glanced back at San who nodded before he said, "I'll make it worth your while."

A disturbing grin parted Gadan's face as his gaze locked on Elena. The Songstress straightened a fraction, as though his gaze unsettled her. "Ahh..." grinned Gadan. "I didn't notice you had a Sister with you. She must be headed to Granas Cathedral, hmm? Well. More business."

"How much do you want?" grunted Ryudo, trying to keep the discussion focused.

"Ten-thousand gold pieces should cover my costs."

"Deal. Let's go." At Ryudo's quick acceptance, Roan and Elena tried to protest.

"Ah, not so quickly, my friend," chuckled Gadan, raising a hand. "The last tram has already left. But do not fret―another will be available come the morrow."

"Can't leave today, huh?" mused San, cupping her chin in her hand. "Then..."

The Greohound was cut short as Elena could no longer hold in her displeasure for him. "Obviously, YOU can still stuff yourself with food! Why not share your secret with the townsfolk?" It had been a while since the Geohounds last saw her this angered. It had to have been back when they first met, and the Songstress had not been afraid to show her dislike for Ryudo. This though...the anger she radiated off was much worse than what Ryudo got.

"Elena, hush!" hissed the Geohounds.

Once more, the mayor of the town licked his lips with his near-grotesque tongue. "A strange thing to say, my Sister. Do you imply that my health is something less than virtuous? That I should suffer as well?"

Catching her breath, Elena glanced down. "Well, no..."

"Ah, but I too am troubled by this cause. My employees are all stricken, which is hardly good for business. And with no cure..."

"Is that so...?" Elena's anger had melted away at the plight of the rest of the townsfolk.

"No cure..." muttered San.

"Even then, I am amazed that you can eat so much..." commented Roan, scratching the back of his head.

A near malicious smirk appeared on Gadan's face. Smugly, he took another large mouthful of the food before him. "Perhaps the others have sinned before Granas. Perhaps I alone remain blessed. Who can fathom the mind of God? Ah, Delicious!" Leaning back, the large man sniffed the air a couple times. Once more, he licked his lips and sighed in delight. "Dear Sister, you smell quite nice. Were you aware that smell and taste are interrelated?"

The Songstress nearly stumbled back in surprise and shock. "WHA-WHAT!"

Despite it being a rather offensive comment, Ryudo let out a wry chuckle. "He seems healthy enough, although I do question his taste in women," he muttered, crossing his arms.

Elena gasped lightly in offense. "How can you remain so smug and impertinent while others starve about you?" she questioned, her anger returning.

"I would watch my words, were I you," grinned Gadan. "I pay my workers generously. This problem is none of my doing. The townsfolk would do well to thank me for seeing to bring prosperity to this town."

"How could such a thing have happened...?"

A light burp escaped Gadan. The companions were actually surprised it had not been louder. "Indeed, this town was known by many to have been touched by the hand of Granas. Perhaps he does not wish to soil his hand any further. But I am no expert; you should inquire within the church outside of town. ...Oh, but my, you do smell fine, my dear Sister. A sweet delicious peach..." Grinning, he brandished a fork stacked with food before chomping down on it, some of it falling down his chin.

"Tomorrow, then," grunted Ryudo. Finished, and glad to be so, the group exited Gadan's place. A creature's chirping met them as they entered back into the bright sun. Hisashi glided down to them and perched on San's shoulder, his tail once more becoming a golden necklace for her.

"What a disgusting man!" fumed Elena.

"I wouldn't know..."

"Believe me on this, he is," commented San before returning to speaking with Hisashi in a light whisper.

"That Gadan's appetite is incredible!" said Roan in surprise as they started walking further away from the house. "It is almost unnatural. But I am more worried about the money we have to pay tomorrow."

A groan escaped Ryudo as he ran his hand through his dark hair. "He's working us. We'd better start digging in our couches for change."

"Why don't we just waste him?" asked Skye, clicking his beak firmly and ruffling his feathers. Smirking, Ryudo looked to his friend and barked out a laugh. "That's why I like you, Skye. Always thinking."

"Probably the best suggestion I've heard in a while," grinned San from behind.

The young blond boy chuckled nervously. "Uh, Ryudo, San... Like it or not, we do have a Sister in our party."

"Nothing to worry." San clapped her hands together, mischief sparkling in her amethyst eyes. "Just close your eyes and cover your ears, Elena, and all will be fine."

The Songstress shook her head and clasped her hands together. "But... Ryudo, San. We have to do something for these townspeople. If they are really blessed by Lord Granas, how could this happen to them? Like that...man said just now, we should ask the Father at the church."

A groan in annoyance escaped Ryudo. Somewhat forcefully, he gripped Elena's shoulder and turned her to face him. The rest of the group stopped when they did. "Are we in a hurry to get you to the Cathedral or not? We don't have time for your church girl routine."

Sorrow crossed over her chocolate-brown eyes. "This town...everything...it is terrible. I just cannot ignore those in need."

"Look, princess, we don't need any more trouble than we already have."

"Please, Mister Ryudo," interjected Roan, placing his hands on both their arms. "We cannot leave until tomorrow anyway. What's wrong with just going to the church?" A hopeful smile crossed his face.

"Shut your damn yap, kid," snapped the Geohound. "This is not a stroll to the altar, and we're not in the bloody church choir! I'm sick of all this!"

Glancing away, Elena hung her head. "I-I am sorry, but still..."

"Ryudo," came San sternly. "A moment..." Grabbing his arm, the blue-haired Geohound pulled him away from the group. "Look, Roan's right. As much as we'd like to leave here and get this job done with as quickly as possible, we're _stuck_ here for today." Ryudo made a noise in reluctant agreement. "Might as well make the usually chipper ones happy again, or else we'll be in for an even longer trip."

Grudgingly, he nodded. Only then did San let go of her hold on Ryudo and the two moved back to Roan and Elena. "Don't be so quick to apologize..." sighed the brunet to Elena. "Come on. Let's find the church."

Smiles appeared on both of the blonde's faces. Bright moods returning, Ryudo was beginning to regret his decision. Promptly, for he wanted to get this over with, Ryudo led the way through Liligue; guiding the others to the church was easy enough for it stood high and proud atop a hill above the town. The Geohounds both rolled their eyes lightly as they entered, neither being much of the church-goers.

Upon entering, a priest at the far end noticed them and came to greet them. It was a tall, thin, dark-haired fellow,who wore a rather grim expression. It seemed to them that many of the religious people they met along their journeys were often solemn. This priest was just added to the long list.

"May I help you, my dear travelers?" asked the priest with a dip of his head.

"Father, we have come with a question," answered Elena, taking a step forward.

The Father's dark eyes studied the Songstress a moment. "Ah, I see that you too are one who serves Lord Granas..."

She nodded. "Father, what has happened to this town? To these people?"

"Ah, this is a question that troubles me as well. I do not know what has befallen us. Some say that the face of Lord Granas has turned from us, but still... I do not believe it." His look became even more sorrowful, something Ryudo and San had not thought possible.

"Yes, I have heard the tale. There are those in town who say they have lost the blessings of Granas."

"Pretty unreliable for a deity," remarked Ryudo, placing a hand on his hip. "If you want to keep your job as supreme overlord, you should keep your naughty/nice list straight." Beside him, San tried to hold back a chuckle.

"Ryudo!" snapped Elena.

"And I don't quite get this 'blessing' stuff," he continued, ignoring Elena's protest. "That one lard-butt looked pretty damn blessed to me. About two hundred pounds more blessed than anyone else around here."

Pursing her lips together, Elena shook her head and turned away from the Geohounds.

"Ah, you must mean Mr. Gadan," nodded the Father. "He too has changed. He was once a good man, loved by all. But then he began to change. He began to become obsessed with wealth and riches...and with, uh, nutrition as well. And as I recall, this occurred roughly around the same time that our current misfortunes befell us."

"People deal with depression differently," commented San, raising a hand palm-up. "Some sleep. Others write. Others suck food down their throats like garbage chutes."

"But what would that have to do with the townspeople not being able to eat?" asked Roan. The other companions had become quick to brush aside the sarcastic remarks from San or Ryudo.

"Father, forgive my companion's lack of tact," apologized Elena, bowing her head lightly. "But I too wonder why this town is known to be blessed by Granas."

"Of course." The Father nodded. "Please, go upstairs... You will see the truth for yourselves from above."

The group nodded and followed the request, the solemn man not far behind. The room above was an office library filled to the brim with books. The comforting light of day shone in unhindered through large-paned windows.

"Please, look," instructed the Father, holding out a hand towards the windows. "You can see the whole town from here." Elena bowed her head to the Father while the rest went straight for the window. Flying up from their perches, Hisashi and Skye hovered above the group as all looked to the town below. What San had been studying at from ground-level the previous day became crystal clear from their vantage point.

Remnants of massive arches reached in towards the center of town. The buildings of Liligue appeared to have been built around them, signifying the arches had been there for a long time. The ruins still stood tall, though they were beginning to show signs of the effects of time. San's eyes narrowed as she gazed upon the ruins fully.

"Those pillars... They look to be part of a single ruin..." gathered Elena, cupping her chin in her hand.

Behind her, the grim Father nodded. "They are said to be the ruins of a temple. They were severely damaged when the town was rebuilt, but Mister Gadan says that they're still not sufficiently destroyed..."

"I see," murmured Roan, moving closer to the window to get a better view. "So this town was built on the ruins of an old temple of Granas. That is why this town is blessed... But, those pillars have a strange shape. As if there were something in the center..."

"As if something were buried," concluded Ryudo. His observation made San grunt in the affirmative.

"Now that you mention it, I've heard of an excavation at the base of the pillars. The pillars run deep―too deep to be removed." The Father shook his head somberly.

The brunet grunted in annoyance. "I'm not liking what I'm hearing. What do you think, Elena? Sound familiar? Ruined temple, burial mound?" He clenched a fist, and then voiced what they had all begun to think: "Unholy piece of Valmar sealed up inside?"

Elena gasped and brought a hand to her mouth in shock. "Like Garmia Tower... It cannot be... Valmar..."

To the side, San instinctively placed a hand on the hilt of her blade. "More of that blasted devil," she hissed.

The Father took a step back in denial, shaking his head. "I-I have not heard of such a thing..." he whispered, his voice showing his fear.

"Terrific," grunted Ryudo. Skye perched back on his shoulder, as Hisashi did to San. "Then we can be on our way."

"Hold, Ryudo," ordered Elena, grabbing him by his arm. "The suffering of the townspeople may be the result of the breaking of a seal. We must investigate."

Promptly, Ryudo raised his hands and waved them to shoo away the matter. "Whoa there, gumshoe! I don't recall 'hunting down the reawakening God of Evil' as being part of my job description."

Determined, the Songstress did not let go nor back down from the matter. "Saving those in need is the duty of those who follow Granas. I will not ignore my duty, Ryudo, and I most certainly will not ignore these people. We must aid them!"

Roughly, he wrenched his arm from her hold. "Now you're just being stubborn. Let's try to be rational here. One." Ryudo held up a finger. "I am not being paid. I repeat that―I AM NOT BEING PAID."

"Then I'll pay you," added San quickly and firmly. Her offer brought baffled gazes from all around. She blinked and rose an eyebrow at their questioning gazes. "What? Can't a Geohound have a shred of humanity?"

"So, what, you'd to it for free?" asked the brunet, frowning lightly.

A sigh escaped San as she ran a hand over her face. "As much as I love gold, there are other forms of payment than just that. I have my reasons." The look that followed showed she would not be speaking on the matter any further.

A moment of silence fell as Ryudo tried to wrap his mind around the offer she gave. "Bah," he sighed. "There's more than just gold at play here. Two." Another finger rose. "Granas should be more than able to take care of Valmar without us. Three." A third and final finger rose. "You need to get to the Cathedral as soon as possible."

Elena clasped her hands together and gave him a serious, yet pleading look. "Ryudo, please... I cannot ignore their suffering. If I do, I might as well never take another step toward the Cathedral!" A long sigh escaped Ryudo as he was thinking it all over. "...So you will not be moved, then. Very well, I will help them by myself." Standing straighter, the Songstress began to head out.

Ryudo groaned in annoyance before reaching out to stop her. When he looked over, he saw San had moved as if to stop Elena, but Ryudo had been faster. "...We'll have to protect you, of course." Frown widening, he reached up, grabbed her cheeks, and tried to stretch her face. "Stop it with the self-righteous expression. C'mon, make a nice face for me."

"Ryudo!" cried out San in surprise.

"Bwhad awe dou booing?" asked Elena, her words being slurred by Ryudo's hold on her. A glare crossed her face momentarily as she shoved him back. "Cut that out!

A smug smirk crossed Ryudo's face, as though he had won a battle. "We'll check out the ruins," he said. "But tomorrow... Tomorrow we take the Skyway, no matter how many kittens are stuck in trees."

Elena's expression morphed into a smile faster than ever before. She seemed unable to remain angered for more than a few moments. "Oh, Ryudo!" Shaking his head, Ryudo waved off the matter, not wanting to speak on it any further as the group headed back downstairs. "Father, you spoke of an excavation..."

Stopping, the Father turned around to look at them. "Yes, but take caution; no one has been permitted to explore the ruins. There is much danger."

The Songstress bowed in thanks to him. "Thank you, father." Rising, she turned around to face the Geohounds. "Ryudo, San, let us depart!"

Glad to be finally leaving, the Geohounds nodded and turned to head out. Behind then, Roan was quick to follow. Sensing something off, San was the one to turn around. "Elena?" she asked for the Songstress had paused once more. The other two also stopped to look around at what was going on.

"Oh Father," murmured Elena, holding her hands together. "I have had terrible dreams of late. I am haunted by Darkness. Does this mean that my soul is weak...?"

The grim Father had a hint of a smile cross his face for a fraction of a second. "Do not allow Darkness to have a doorway to your heart. A strong soul resists Darkness. Carry yourself accordingly."

Once more, Elena bowed in gratitude. "Thank you very much. Father, may you be blessed by Lord Granas."

"The same to you, O Songstress of Granas..."

Behind, the Geohounds sighed. Taking a step forward,Ryudo grabbed a hold of Elena's shoulder. "Let's get this over with. We don't have room for any more of these roadside attractions in our itinerary."

Beside him, Roan let out a warm chuckle. "Oh, Mister Ryudo..."

Grunting, Ryudo was quick to turn on his heel and leave the church. Quietly, San sighed and shook her head before following after him, Roan and Elena staying close behind. Once more, the warm sun greeted them as they exited the cool, and somewhat dark, church. Once out in the open, Hisashi and Skye flew from their perches and glided about the group, stretching their wings. Hisashi's scales sparkled and sent a golden light glistening on their skins below.

Intent on getting the side-job done as quickly as possible, Ryudo headed down the path at a brisk pace, breaking away from the rest. He had barely gotten down the hill though, when he spotted someone familiar. With the battle-ax, tail, and wild fur-like hair, it was unmistakably Mareg.

"Well I'll be..." murmured Ryudo, pausing in his step once he saw the beast-man that had attacked him. Ears twitching, Mareg turned around and eyed the group. His nostrils flared a moment, as though he were taking in their scent again. "Mareg, what brings you here?"

Crossing his arms, the beast-man grunted before answering, "The SMELL of this place... It offends the earth." His voice grumbled from deep within his chest, becoming more beast-like as he finished his sentence.

Ryudo faltered for a moment. "What!" He shook his head and took a firm step forward. "Tell me...is my brother here? What of Melfice? Where is he? What has he done?"

"I sense the foul work of that demon here. Do not ask of what came by his hand for I wish not to bear the remembrance of it." Anger flashed in Mareg's small violet eyes for a moment.

"But is he here? Or do you only suspect..."

"Mister Mareg," started Elena as Ryudo trailed off in frustration. "This town is deeply troubled. Please, will you aid us in our search for the root of this evil? Will you help us put an end to it?"

The beast-man gave a low growl as he thought it all over. "To protect the power of which you speak from ever being used again, I shall join you." He gave a firm nod.

A warm smile beamed from the Songstress. "Thank you very much!"

And so, with the new addition to their party, the now five-man group headed through the still-barren streets towards the nearest ruin. The winds blew rather strongly around the edge of it, their hair and clothing being tossed around. Quickly, Hisashi zoomed around the pillar, using the winds to aid him, then quickly returned to San's side.

"See anything?" she asked, holding out an arm for him to perch on. The little dragon shook his golden head before climbing up to rest on her shoulder. Repeating the process, the group checked the second-nearest pillar, and then a third. It was the third one that had a miner's hatch leading down into the ground beside it.

Moving down to one knee, Ryudo studied the hatch. "This must be the hole they dug."

Growling from the side after sniffing the air, Mareg clenched his large hands. "The SMELL of decay comes from below. The foul stench of that villain..."

Ryudo was silent for a moment. "...Melfice..." he whispered before rising. "Heads up, Mareg!" For being such a large being, the beast-man was extremely agile and jumped back as Ryudo drew his blade. Yelling out, he raised it high before slashing down and breaking the chain on the hatch. He opened the doors and studied the immediate vicinity for dangers. Seeing none, he called out, "All right. Let's go!"

Mareg was first, followed by Elena and Roan. As San walked by the other Geohound, she muttered, "What, couldn't have asked nicely for a key?" Ryudo's only response was a grunt and a look that showed that he was not in the mood. San caught it and promptly held her tongue from any more spontaneous comments. Melfice was down there, and he wanted answers.

Last to climb down, Ryudo closed the hatch behind him. Darkness swallowed their senses for a moment before their eyes adjusted to the torch light of the mines. The orange glow flickered across the walls and their figures. Taking to the lead, the Geohound made sure to grab one of the torches so that all would still be illuminated in the darker sections of the tunnels.

Bringing up the rear, Mareg's footsteps dwarfed the rest of theirs. His broad shoulders and large battle-ax made it difficult for him to travel some sections of the narrow mines. Frustrated grumbled escaped him now and then, the rest of the group gradually getting used to his deep beastial-like voice.

There were several fiends throughout the tunnels. Giant spiders, nearly as wide as the mine itself, barred their path at several places. With Mareg fighting on their side now instead of against them, the monsters were taken down faster than ever before.

"You sure it's Melfice you smell?" asked Ryudo as they passed under one of the arches that held up the dirt above their heads. Some dust fell onto his head.

"There is no mistake... The SMELL of something that vile...there is nothing else like it." Mareg gave a firm snort when he finished.

"Don't get your hopes up, Ryudo," commented San. Slowing down, the brunet looked over his shoulder at her. From how her head was titled in the light of the fire, the shadows cast across her face made her look rather intimidating, and he quickly looked back ahead. "It's just something that smells evil...that doesn't necessarily mean it's Melfice. Not that Mareg's tracking skills are bad, I'm sure," she quickly added with a nervous chuckle when the beast-man began to growl lightly. "But you were wrong when you first met us. I'm just saying that it could not be your brother."

Grunting lightly, Ryudo could not bring himself to give any other answer. He did not want to admit it...but she was right. There was a chance it was not Melfice, just something that smelled like him...whatever _that _was.

"Melfice or not, we must still put an end to the suffering for the villagers!" said Elena, determination ringing in her voice.

"Geez, shouldda made a bet that you'd say something like that, Elena. Probably couldda made some extra gold," smirked San. The Songstress groaned lightly, pursing her lips together to form a thin line. Ahead, Ryudo barked a laugh, and then paused in his tracks.

The dirt tunnels of the mine shafts had gone, and instead of the recent constructions enclosing around them, the group was now in a very spacious, stone-covered room. Some roots had burrowed their way through the deep dirt and the thick stone slabs, adding to the ruined state of the old place. It had a deep scent of slightly moist dirt, along with something else the younger four of them could not place. The rest of them paused around him to study their new surroundings.

"These must be the rest of the ruins!" exclaimed Roan, running forward a bit to see more of the vast room. "Who knew this village was built on top of something so old."

"The question is _why_ did they build on top of it?" questioned San, placing a hand on her hip.

The young boy's shoulders sank. "Maybe they wanted to hide some of their past..."

"History lessons aside, what is it exactly we're looking for?" asked Ryudo, holding the torch up high. The small light source hardly did the room justice. Shadows crept down the distant walls and the columns, forcing their weight upon the flickering light of the fire. It was as though the darkness was trying to actually snuff out the flames for intruding upon its home.

"If your hunch is correct, which I believe it is, then something like what was back in Garmia Tower." At San's comment, Ryudo shuddered as the memories resurfaced. Memories he had tried so hard to smother out. Shaking his head, the young Geohound moved on, trying to get his mind off of those memories as the group explored further into the new ruins.

With confirmation from Mareg, the group knew they were on the right path through the ruins for new, and rather disgusting monsters, were appearing. The zombie-like creatures continuously came after the group. It took more than usual, but the undead foes fell before their might, and this time, they did not rise again. Now and then, the beast-man would sniff the musty air to make sure they stayed on the correct path.

"What is that?" questioned Ryudo as they rounded a corner. At the far end of the hall, that they were just able to see, lay a dead-end. In that dead-end, however, rested a stone platform that had three tall devices at the corners. When they got near, Ryudo held the torch high up to look at the room better. "Great... What's next?"

Splitting up, each in the group looked around the room...all but San. The blue-haired Geohound remained at the base of the platform, staring up at the far wall behind it. There was a red design carved into it. She looked at it for a moment longer before climbing up onto the platform with Ryudo.

"If you wish to open the portal...light the red, blue, and green candlesticks," muttered Ryudo, reading the stone slab at the center of the platform. Rubbing his neck, the Geohound looked up to the tall devices at the corners. Each of them had a floating orb atop of them: red, blue, and green. "Hey, San!" he called out. "Think we need to―Whooah!" Crying out, he made sure his footing was secure. A sudden rumbling had shaken the hall. A snarl escaped Mareg as Roan and Elena cried out in surprise. "By the blood! What the hell was that!"

A nervous chuckle escaped San, and all eyes fell on her. Kneeling by the fourth corner of the platform, the one without a device, the amethyst-eyed woman had her hand on some sort of relief switch. "Oops... Didn't think it would make so much noise."

"Didn't think _what_ would make so much noise?" questioned the other Geohound, crossing his arms. "I'd expect something like that from one of the the kids, not you!"

"Hey, hey, relax," sighed San as she stood back up, dusting off her hands. "I knew what I was doing."

"You still haven't answered my question. _What_ was it you did?"

"Miss San, did you find something?" asked Roan as the other three neared the Geohounds.

Looking over her shoulder, amethyst eyes met Ryudo's blue ones. "It said it needed the candles―those orb thingies―lit, right?" Jumping down from the platform, she did not wait for a response from anyone. "Then let's go light them!" Finished, she headed back off down the dark halls, leaving the rest behind to watch her in light confusion.

"Does she...do this often?" asked Mareg, his deep voice nearly making Ryudo jump.

"A couple times, yeah," answered Ryudo, looking where San had slipped into the shadows. "She does seem to know more about these things than she normally lets on..."

"Ryudo?" came the Songstress softly. "Should we not...go after her?"

"Hey!" called out San from ahead as if in response. "Hurry the hell up!" Roan and Elena quickly scampered to catch back up to the Geohound, while Mareg and Ryudo calmly followed. Once they saw where she stopped, San gestured to a new passageway in the cavernous hall that had not been there earlier. "See? That switch opened up these halls. Inside should be the devices that light the orbs."

"How do you know this...?" asked the brunet skeptically.

"I'm...a bit of a history buff." Not making eye contact, San was quick to head off down the new hall.

"Really?" piped up Roan, a bright smile crossing his face. "I would love to talk with you about what you know! I always enjoy learning more abo―"

"Later," she snapped back. Dejected, Roan did not say another word as they followed San through the ruins. Her attitude left the remainder of the group in a quiet mode. Ryudo, however, made a mental note to be around if and when she explained to Roan. Not that he was much for history, he just wanted to know how _she_ knew.

Easily, the group had found the counterparts of the three orbs in the newly opened halls. All it took was a touch for the devices to become activated. The blue orb was last to be lit, and when they returned to the dead-end, they saw a new unactivated orb was at the center of the platform.

"Same as the others?" asked Ryudo, walking up to it. San made a noise in affirmation, and that was enough for him. Raising a hand to the orb, the yellow device pulsed a glow as it rose up to the same height as the others. When it did, a click noise met their ears, followed by a moment of silence, and then a louder rumble than before. The ground shook and dust fell from above.

The far wall, the one that had the red design, split open and slid back into the rest of the ruins. When it did, wind howled in at them and light poured in. For a moment they had to block the glare from the sudden bright light. Once adjusted, they headed out into the daylight. Winds howled even louder as they exited the ruins, begging to unsettle their footing.

"The Granacliffs!" cried out Elena, looking out across the land. The ruined path they were on was cut into the very side of the white-faced cliffs. Walking to the edge once more, San peered down, and then peered up the side of the scar in the land.

"This must be one of the best places in the world to have gotten rid of someone you didn't like and make it look like an accident," smirked Ryudo. San barked a laugh, but quickly moved away in case he should prove his point.

Finished outside, the group headed along the side of the cliffs, and then back into the ruins. Once again, their vision had to adjust from the sudden change of light to dark. Once it did, though, they almost wished it had not. In the center of the ruin chamber hung the same blue orb as back in Garmia Tower. In a flash, the Geohounds drew their weapons, while Mareg, who slowly began to fume in anger, snarled like a true beast.

"It's stench... The smell of ruin...of decay," he growled, his human side almost losing out to the beast.

"What the devil is this?" questioned Ryudo.

Clasping a hand over her mouth, Elena nearly fell to her knees as the sight fully sank in. "This is a seal of Lord Granas! It is used to seal in a piece of Valmar..."

"But...this Seal is broken!" exclaimed Roan. What had once probably been a pure orb held the same cracks splitting across its sides as the one back in the Tower. Only this time, the Darkness had long since left its prison. "Could whatever was sealed have left here!"

"Ryudo..." started San, looking over to the other Geohound, "the culprit in this crime...is not your brother."

Catching his breath, Ryudo looked to her and would have responded if not for a sudden crash. His attention was drawn away as Mareg roared in defiance. Ahead of them stood a morbid monster. The beast resembled somewhat of a twisted crab, only much, much larger, and instead of pincers, it had gaping maws for claws. Drool dripped from every single mouth on its body as it rushed for them. Unprepared, the best they could do was get out of the way.

All but Elena managed to.

Her sharp scream pierced the air as the mouth on the belly of the monster swallowed her whole. Satisfied, the monster licked its mouth and looked around for more, hunger in its eyes.

"ELENA!" shouted out Ryudo and San, rising back to their feet.

"Right. We're dealing with a Piece of Valmar here," grunted Ryudo as he gripped the hilt of blade tighter. Yelling out, he began to charge for the monster when he suddenly stopped.

"What the..." murmured San. Before their very eyes, the monster began to glow.

It was as though something from inside it was glowing, rather than the monster itself. It reeled back in pain, each of the maws permitting a hissing yowl. Practically tearing out from its belly flew out Millenia. Dark wings unfurled, the redhead spun around and snarled at the monster.

"How dare you, you miserable...! I won't stand being EATEN!" Anger radiating from her, Millenia drew out her crossbow.

"Great. She's back," sighed Ryudo, running a hand down his face.

"Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse," groaned San

"What? What just happened?" grumbled Mareg, switching his gaze from the beast to the feisty redhead.

Jumping forward in delight, Roan was the only one to seem happy from her return. "Oh! Is that you Miss Millenia? We meet again! Miss...Millenia?"

Ignoring those who greeted her, the redhead let out a malicious cackle. "So now you get to meet my friends. Come over here. I'll make you mine..." Beckoning the beast forward, she unfurled her wings to their fullest and held out a hand. Like back in Carbo, she began to gather a magical attack. When she did, however, the beast sensed the danger and scuttled off as fast as it could. For being such a large monster, it certainly was able to move quickly. Millenia cursed under her breath, stopping her magic. "C'MON! Chase after him! That thing's the cause of all of it!"

"'It' is so vague..." commented Ryudo, glaring at the redhead. "What're you referring to?"

Scoffing, Millenia pointed after where the beast had gone. "Forget it, just GO!" Without having to say another word, the group raced off to where the monster had gone, the two flyers soaring on ahead. On the far side of the broken seal was the gaping hole in the ruins that the monster had broken through. They scrambled over the ruble and entered the rest of the temple ruins. Waiting at the center of the room was the monster.

"Unless Melfice has put on some weight, this isn't him," commented Ryudo as they neared the beast.

To the side, Mareg bristled in anger. "This beast is the source of the village's troubles. Caution! It's SMELL augurs danger."

"You look delicious!" hissed the monster, its rancid breath making their hair nearly stand on end. "You little ones... I shall strip your bones of your fine flesh, yes? So tender... So succulent... Come, let me taste you! And the Wings of Valmar shall make a fine main course, yes?"

"That voice is familiar...ahh..." Ryudo realized what had gone on. "Gadan, Gadan. Let, me guess...new haircut?"

Cackling, Millenia walked to the front of the group, holding her hand back out. "So the Tongue of Valmar wants a taste of me? Here's something to chew on!" Initializing the attack, the redhead sent out a burst of flame to the Tongue of Valmar.

"Focus on its main body!" called out San as she ran in and sliced the mouth at its underside. The monster hissed in pain as her blade, lighting flowing over it for the attack, sliced through its hide. Hot ichor dripped onto her, sizzling where it landed, before she rolled out of the way in time. Had she been a second slower, the large tongue would have swallowed her whole like it had Elena.

Above, Hisashi dived in and tore at one of the small eyes with his razor-sharp teeth. When he did, the Tongue of Valmar stomped about in pain. The sudden confusion caused Ryudo to have to dodge to the side or be struck down by one of the legs. Making it past them, however, he too reached the underbelly and drove his sword as deep as he could get it.

Keeping outside of the havoc, Mareg drew the attention of the two mouth-like claws. The beast-man waited for them to lower in an attack before slicing at them with his ax. Large wounds were left in the claws as they pulled back away from the danger Mareg presented.

Being the smallest and most agile one there, Roan dashed in under the legs and added his blade to the wounds the Tongue of Valmar already had. Eager at not staying underneath the monster, he quickly dashed back out and waited for another opening. The two Geohounds still remained underneath, hacking away and dodging the massive tongue.

"This is my way of thanking you..." murmured Millenia, staying far back from the attacks. Beating her wings, the redhead flew into the air above the battle. Concentrating, she gathered another magic attack together. This was no simple elemental spell, though, this one only she could cast. Opening her eyes, she glared at the Tongue of Valmar and lashed out the two orbs of darkness she had conjured towards it. Hurling through the air, her attacks met above the monster and exploded out.

Beneath the beast, San and Ryudo braced themselves from the attack. At least...they would have, but Millenia's attack did not affect them. Above their heads, the Tongue of Valmar roared in pain as the dark powers tore through its body. When the spell receded, the Geohounds ventured a look back up. The Tongue of Valmar began to shake on its legs.

"Go! Go! Go!" urged Ryudo, pushing San out of the way before both of them were crushed as the giant monster fell to the ground with a resounding thud. Grunting, he helped her back up and the two of them returned to the rest of the group.

"He appears to be a bit tongue-tied. Or is that too tongue-in-cheek?" smirked Millenia, stepping towards the remains. Pausing in her step, she looked down upon the Tongue of Valmar. Raising her arms, an orb of green power appeared in front of her. Chanting under her breath, Millenia began to weave another spell. This one took the very essence of the monster into the orb, which subsequently went into her. As it faded away, Gadan was left lying prone on the ground in place of the Tongue of Valmar. "Aah..." she sighed in pleasure, her spell done. "Finally we got one... I feel full of power. Mmm, feels so good..."

"Miss Millenia! What just happened!" questioned Roan.

"Wha-What exactly did you just do!" shouted Ryudo, holding out his blade.

Giving a twisted smile, she winked to Ryudo, a giggle escaping her lips. "That's a S-E-C-R-E-T. See you later, Ryudo." Raising her arm, she began to cast one more spell at that time. This one was to revert back to Elena, as she had before. Unlike before, her spell did not finish.

A blade at her neck and being rammed up against one of the pieces of ruble prevented her from changing back for now.

"San!" cried out everyone there. Glaring with such anger that none there had seen, the blue-haired Geohound kept her blade an inch away from Millenia's neck.

"Just what _are_ you doing!" asked Ryudo, moving forward.

"Stay back!" she snapped back at him, never once taking her eyes off the redhead. Grip twisting tighter, San made sure Millenia would not get away. Despite the position she was in, the redhead remained calm and collected. "Millenia...no...Valmar! You will only bring ruin and damnation to this land! One move and I can keep history from repeating itself..."

"Bit hasty, there, aren't we, Bluey?"

"SILENCE!" San's teeth were clenched tight in anger. "Give me one damn good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now!"

Raising a hand, Millenia tried to move the blade away from her neck. "I can give you a couple. What have I done to deserve this? Last time I checked, I've been _helping_ you guys!"

Grunting, San moved the blade back to Millenia's neck. The cold steel began to glow a soft blue. "Not good enough..."

"Hey! Hey!" Now the redhead began to show a bit more of actually being nervous. "If you kill me...you kill Elena! Surely you understand better than the others here..." Cursing under her breath, San lost her nerve for a second. She was still in the middle of a job: keeping Elena safe on their way to see the Pope. In that moment, the redhead pushed the blade further away while San's grip still stayed true. "Just think of me as another bodyguard in this journey of yours."

"One step―I repeat―ONE step out of line..." Leaning in, San whispered so only Millenia could hear: "And I will not hesitate to purge you from Elena _myself_."

Scoffing, the redhead tried to pull away. "I TOLD you: kill me and you ki―"

"Who said anything about killing?" asked the blue-haired Geohound in the same cold whisper. "Removing you would be a difficult task...but one I could manage. You know of what I speak." For the first time since they had seen the Wings of Valmar, fear glinted in her eyes. "I will _not_ allow myself to be as weak as I was back then..." Grunting again, partially in anger at herself, San grudgingly let go of Millenia and backed up. Everyone was silent as she walked past the group, slowly heading out.

"San..." came Ryudo. The blue-haired Geohound did not acknowledge his concern.

Regaining herself, Millenia finished the spell that had had been interrupted. Where she once stood, Elena slowly rose to her feet.

"I-I can't believe Miss Millenia is really Valmar..." murmured Roan, switching his gaze from where San had gone back to the Songstress.

Sniffing, Mareg searched for the scent that had plagued the air earlier. "The SMELL...is gone..." Glaring lightly, the beast-man planted his ax into the ground. "So it was not Melfice..."

"...Ryudo?" asked Elena, looking to the solemn Geohound. Brown eyes darted around the ruins. "Where am I? It happened...again!"

:::

All of them stood in Gadan's office, even San who remained withdrawn from them after her outburst. Together, they had managed to bring back Gadan's body from the ruins and rested him on the floor.

"Ryudo, just what happened to him?" asked Elena, rising back up after checking the Mayor's health.

"You remember anything after being swallowed by the Tongue of Valmar?"

Clasping her hands together, the Songstress murmured, "No..."

"Well, Millenia appeared again. And, according to her, Gadan was possessed by the Tongue of Valmar. I won't comment on THAT, but apparently, this was the source of the town's troubles."

Sighing sadly, she moved over to look out one of the windows. "Our holy book contains a passage that speaks of this... First Valmar possesses one's soul...and then devours it." All eyes fell back onto the Mayor. "Maybe this is what happened to Gadan. The poor man. Valmar took advantage of the weakness of his soul..."

"After we beat Gadan...the Tongue of Valmar, Millenia did something to him..." Ryudo paused a moment. "...It. This is the result."

Elena shook her head in disbelief. "Each piece of Valmar can feed off of another to increase their own power... How revolting... This man must have had his soul devoured..."

"I can't believe she'd...do such a thing."

"Me too," agreed Roan. "Didn't we manage to fix the town's problems...only thanks to Miss Millenia?"

Behind, San grunted in anger, muttering, "So they owe their good fortune to Valmar now? Not exactly much better off."

"I can't believe it either..." sighed Elena. "I think it's just a coincidence."

"Millenia and the Tongue of Valmar... Lo, the Tongue of Valmar stank of ruin, as does Melfice," grumbled Mareg, crossing his arms.

"Are you saying that Melfice is...possessed?" asked Ryudo, taken somewhat aback.

The beast-man shook his head. "I know not. No matter, he is dangerous possessed or otherwise. But I WILL have my vengeance."

"Mareg, when I'm finished with Elena...uh, this job, let me go along with you."

"I know not where to begin my search, and this land is unfamiliar to me. You would not be unwelcome should you choose to come."

A ghost of a smile touched the brunet's lips in thanks. "Right. What about you, Elena?"

"I... I am sure that the Wings of Valmar are within me. Every night, I can feel the Darkness drawing across my soul like a shroud... The cold... ...I must see His Holiness Zera soon."

"The townspeople seem to be all better!" piped up Roan, smiling bright.

Clamping a fist in determination, Ryudo announced, "Okay, so we go straight to Granas Cathedral."


	6. Valmar's Calling

VI

_Valmar's Calling_

Ryudo was at the head of the group as they headed for the Skyway station. Already the town seemed to have returned to its previous state of bustle. With the Tongue of Valmar taken care of, people of Liligue could return to their normal lives. Even in such a short amount of time, people who had left were already beginning to return. Elena was talking to Roan as their group headed along the streets. Mareg was as secluded as he normally seemed to be, trying to keep from eyes lingering on him too long. San though, Ryudo noticed, still seem distracted by something. At first the brunet had passed it off for telling a piece of Valmar had been sealed beneath the town, but now he wondered why that look of hers still persisted.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked quietly, slowing down so that he walked by her side.

The blue-haired Geohound tried to hide her startle at the question. Grunting lightly, she looked away. "Just peachy," she answered. "Because, you know, finding out a Seal of Granas has been broken always makes my day so much better."

"Hey, just what is _with_ you today?" Reaching out, he gripped her shoulder, and not in a comforting manner. "I passed it off as just the whole Tongue of Valmar, or whatever, crap earlier, but what's eating you?"

San shook his hand off of her. "It's none of your business."

Groaning in annoyance, Ryudo ran a hand down his face. "Listen, San, I'm normally the first person to agree with that and let the matter drop, bu―"

"Then let it drop!" she snapped back, not looking at him.

Perched on his shoulder, Skye clicked his beak. "My, my. She's reminding me of someone right now... Who could it possibly be?" asked the eagle-like bird.

A glare crossed across Ryudo's face as he glanced to his companion. _I don't really sound like this...do I?_ wondered the Geohound for a second. Quickly, he shook his head and looked back to San. "Not this time," he retorted back. "I have to know... Will this affect the job?" The blue-haired woman was silent for some time. "Well?"

"No," she sighed, her shoulder drooping. "It shouldn't."

"Shouldn't?" blinked Ryudo, not being reassured by the two words she added.

"Bah, never mind. I'll still be able to protect Elena fine, don't worry about it." Grunting, Ryudo rubbed his head to try to hold off a headache. He had nearly forgotten how closed-up San could be. "Hey, one more thing," she commented, glancing over to the brown-haired Geohound. Raising his eyebrows in question, Ryudo waited for what she had to say. "You intend to find your brother after this is over, right?" He gave a numb nod in confirmation. "There's something...I need to look for now. And I suspect what I'm looking for is connected to what you wish to find."

Ryudo glanced away for a moment. "You mean since Mareg said the Tongue of Valmar had the same 'smell' as Melfice?"

"Yeah..."

"Well..." he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "If you'd just be getting in the way anyway, I guess you can tag along." Glancing over from the corner of his eye, he saw the unamused stare San was giving at him. A nervous laugh quickly escaped him and he waved off the matter. "It'll be nice to have your fighting skills along." San was about to give a retort of her own when Ryudo quickly went "Hey!" and pointed out to something in front of them.

All of their group stopped when the family they had run into earlier crossed their path. The Skyway Station certainly was a bustling place compared to the rest of the town. Even with all the commotion, the family was still able to spot the group and head over to them.

"Feeling better?" asked Ryudo, tapping a hand to his hip.

The father of the family bowed to the group. "Yes, thanks to the Sister and your party. Thank you very much." There was a wide smile on his face as he straightened.

San let out an odd groan while Elena said it was their pleasure. It was to be expected, the Geohound knew, for Elena to get the praise for all of their hard work.

"I'm so glad that we are back to normal. I just cannot thank you enough," smiled the wife, dipping her head in gratitude.

"Thank you, Miss!" added the son.

The father laughed lightly, ruffling the boy's hair, saying, "I have something important to do, so..." and waved before taking their leave, eager to return to their home.

"So..." sighed Elena, smiling lightly. "Measure for measure, all's well that ends well." Her soft gaze followed the family for a while longer before returning to their group. "The townsfolk have been saved, and all is as it should be. Mr. Gadan...well..." Chocolate-brown eyes were cast down, filled with remorse. "He took care of his body, but not his soul. Perhaps this was his error."

Scratching, the back of his head, Ryudo shrugged lightly. "He was right, to a certain extent..." To his side, San let out a light groan and pinched the bridge of her nose. Her reaction brought a sardonic look from the other Geohound.

Before he could ask what was on her mind again, Elena questioned, "What do you mean?"

Raising a hand, Ryudo explained, "The people of this town... They sacrificed their well-being for promises of wealth. Gadan didn't have to do anything really; the people decided what they wanted. A subtle trap."

Shaking her head, Elena clasped her hands together. "But still...the trap has been sprung. All has been put right. If everyone works together, happiness will return to even this broken world. Lord Granas yet watches over us..."

The brunet let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand down his face. "You've missed the point entirely, princess. The story doesn't end here. We don't all hold hands and skip home."

"Huh?"

"The world is not so black and white. The answers aren't as pat as you'd like to believe."

A confused look crossed the Songstress' face. "Wha-What do you mean?"

Sighing, Ryudo ran a hand through his hair. "You'll find out eventually. Come on, we've yet to cross the Granacliffs. Just a little farther to the Cathedral!"

With a silent confirmation from everyone else, the group of travelers headed up the metallic stairs to the Skyway. Moving to the side, Ryudo allowed the rest of them in first. As they filed in one-by-one through the door of the Skyway, the Geohound's gaze fell over to the white cliffs on the far side of the great chasm. Just a couple hours ride across and then this job would be nearly over. _And then...to find Melfice..._

Once all were inside, the group found a place to settle down. The two flyers circled around once before settling on the rafters above. While the others found places on the floor, San went over to one of the windows that opened out to the sky and sat one a crate in front of it. Before sitting down herself, Elena glanced over to the blue-haired Geohound and headed over.

"Roan told me...of what happened between you and Millenia..." began the Songstress softly when she was near enough. Her words made the Geohound bristle slightly. Attempting to mask her surprise, San looked over to Elena. "Do you know...what she is?"

Pursing her lips together, San quickly glanced back out the window. All of them lurched slightly as the Skyway began its journey across the Granacliffs. "I can only speculate..."

Silence fell between the two women for a few moments. Wind whistled in through the window and the creaking of the Skyway met their ears. Finally, "This your first time crossing the Granacliffs?" asked San, giving Elena a sideways glance.

The Songstress steepled her fingertips together. "Yes... Before this, I'd rarely be outside of even Carbo, let alone taking such a journey that would require me to cross the great cliffs." Warm brown eyes shifted to the Geohound. "What of you? Have you crossed them before?"

Rolling her head back, San looked at the Songstress and gave a one-sided smirk. "Plenty of times. Hell, I like crossing them so much that I even look for excuses to cross the Granacliffs."

Elena blinked. "Really? Why's that?"

Glancing back out the window, San answered, "Because it's the closest the humans can be to the sky..."

"Huh?"

"Ah! Nevermind..." laughed out San nervously, standing. Her eyes darted to where the rest of their company sat. "Come on, we should talk about the recent events." As she headed past the Songstress, she noticed the uncertain look in her eyes. "Don't worry, Elena." The Geohound placed comforting a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Everything will be fine. You'll see."

That did not help Elena in the way San had hoped for. "Isn't that what everybody says at times like these...?"

"Yes, but not everyone is hired to protect you. I see my jobs all the way through, as such, I know that this will be all right in the end. If it wasn't, then it would mean I'd failed at my job, and I don't take losing so well. Not only me, you got Ryudo helping too, and now even Roan and Mareg." They heard a light squawk from above and San shook her head lightly in amusement. "And Hisashi and Skye, as well. So don't worry, Elena. With all of us here, everything will be just fine."

"Hey, just what are you two blabbering on about?" called out Ryudo, impatience in his voice.

Standing straight, San squared her shoulders and gave a disdainful look. "Oh, be quiet." Sighing, the two women headed over to the other three and joined in the circle. "Not like we're in any rush while on the Skyway."

A soft grunt escaped Ryudo as he glanced over the women. "Elena, you look pretty pale... Are you okay?" he asked the Songstress. "Don't you remember anything at all?"

Her usual warm eyes lost some of their emotion as she tried to recalled what had gone on. Clasping her hands together, she looked to Roan. "What was I doing while it all happened? Just what happened? Roan?"

The young boy cast his gaze down for a second. "The Tongue of Valmar and Miss Millenia... Just what was that all about? Miss Elena? I cannot understand it."

The beast-man's voice grumbled for a second. "Elena, are you well? Do you not remember fighting with the Tongue? And just who is this Millenia...?"

Shaking her head, Elena clasped her hands tighter. Reaching out, San placed her hands on the Songstress' for a second. "What happened to me? Ryudo? What happened to me? Mareg? What happened? San? Tell me, you guys! I cannot remember anything at all. Just what did I do?"

"Don't you remember going to the Seal? Or being attacked?" questioned the brunet.

"I do not remember... I felt faint...almost like I was sleeping."

"That monster was the Tongue of Valmar. Elena, when you were attacked by the Tongue, Millenia appeared again. And then she helped us kick the hell out of that Tongue. Finally, Millenia did something to Gadan and he ended up like that..."

Elena's look became a heated one. "She destroyed the man's soul, right? How can you be so insensitive?"

"Elena! Calm down! The Cathedral is just across the Granacliffs..."

The Songstress seemed to realize the tone that had been in her voice and quickly withdrew, dipping her head in apology. "Valmar is inside me...!" she whispered, her hands now clutched so tightly that her knuckles were white.

San was about to say something when a sudden crash cut her off. All but Elena bolted up in a second, with San and Ryudo instinctively reaching for the hilt of their blades.

"Wh-What is happening?" questioned Roan, dashing over for the window. Both Hisashi and Skye flew over to it to take a look for themselves. Another sudden crash sent the cabin shaking. Whatever was happening, it was strong enough to send the Skyway lurching along its path.

"San!" cried out Hisashi.

"I know!" she grunted back, trying to keep her footing steady.

The only one who remained completely unsettled by this was Elena. "Darkness... Darkness is coming!" she whispered, fear in her voice. At that moment, an unnatural shadow fell across them. "It's calling me...the Darkness is calling me!"

"Elena!" called out Ryudo, trying to reach her side.

At that moment, all of them cried out as the Skyway gave a sudden lurch. Red light began to flood into the cabin, casting an eerie glow across all of them. Outside, Valmar's Moon shone brightly through the new darkness, as though it were some monster that had found its prey. What was once a calm and peaceful journey was one now filled with such a sense of fear that none of them wanted to believe it. Lightning clashed within the depths of the Granacliffs, fierce winds tossing the Skyway about like some child's toy.

Dread sank into all of them as a loud _snap_ followed by a whipping noise was heard over the malevolent winds and thunder. The cables that secured the Skyway on its journey across the Granacliffs had broken. As the Skyway began to tumble even more out of control, the companions were thrown off their feet as they tumbled to the far side of the cabin.

"Dammit!" cursed Ryudo, gripping his head and trying to reach out to anything that was secure. "Everybody! Hang on to something!" That was the last thing Ryudo remembered.

:::

Head pounding, Ryudo groaned as he rolled onto his stomach. Cold. The ground beneath him was cold to the touch. _Wait..._ Forcing his thoughts to clear, Ryudo realized the significance of that. Solid ground... He had to be across the Granacliffs! By force of habit, he tried to jump to his feet, but his body protested so much that he only managed in bringing his head up from the cold dirt.

Slowly, the Geohound opened his eyes. The red light from Valmar's Moon still shone down across the land, as if trying to find something it had lost. That unnatural darkness that had preceded the chaos still clung to the land, but it was slowly being replaced by the normal, almost comforting now, darkness of the night.

_What the?_!

Trying to focus his vision, Ryudo saw something from the corner of his eyes. With his neck sore, he could barely turn his head to get a better look. A figure sat on the ground hunched over, not too far from where he lay. But it was not that that had caught his attention.

Protruding from the back that rose and fell with each heavy breath the person took was a pair of ethereal-looking wings.

Even just seeing the magical wings seemed to calm Ryudo. Fading from a blue to pale-yellow, the wings shone like a beacon of hope in this dark moment. Straining his vision even more, Ryudo tried to see the face of the person, but to no avail. Their back was to him and he was in no condition to move.

"Dammit...!" coughed out the person. A woman. "Why is this happening now after all these years?" the woman questioned to no one. "At least they're safe..."

Ryudo's eyes widened. Though he could not recognize the person by her face, he knew who belonged to that voice.

"San...?" he called out hoarsely. The heavy breathing of the one he assumed was San stopped. Slowly, the woman looked over her shoulder to where Ryudo remained. In the darkness, it was difficult to pick out the features of her face, but she certainly seemed like San.

"Ryudo...!" she gasped out in surprise. If she said or did anything else, Ryudo did not know, for once again he passed out.

:::

"...Mmph," groaned Ryudo, finding the strength to sit up. Vision coming back, he noted that it was still early dawn; a faint mist flowed across the land. Not far from him, Roan, Mareg, and San were also getting up. Surrounding them was a forest of snow-covered pine trees. "We've got problems. What the hell is going on?"

Rubbing his head, Roan looked up to the Geohound. "Valmar's moon seemed to be shining..."

"Whatever happened sent us crashing... We're lucky to be safe," grunted San, massaging her shoulder. For a moment, Ryudo eyed her. With a shake of his head, he pushed the thoughts of the winged person from his mind as a dream. It could not have possibly been real...

"Check yourselves for injury," grumbled Mareg, proceeding to check himself over as he said that.

Quickly, Ryudo moved around a little to make sure he was all right. It then hit him what was off. "Hey! Dammit, where's Elena?" To his side, he vaguely heard San curse and mutter something under her breath, but he did not catch it.

"Perhaps she had fallen earlier..."

"Can't be. Elena! ELENA!" Shouting out for her, Ryudo looked around their immediate area. "She's got to be around here somewhere!"

Holding out a massive hand, Mareg stopped Ryudo from searching any more. The beast-man raised his head and breathed deeply of the air. A low growl escaped him, but not a threatening one like they had heard when they first met him. "I am picking up her scent. Come, this way! This way!"

:::

"Elena," called out a voice. Groaning, the Songstress raised a hand to her head for a second. Where was she? What had happened? The last thing she remembered was the Darkness calling for her on the Skyway. "Elena! Wake up!" shouted out the voice. That order brought her to her senses and Elena quickly sat up in a startle. Blinking, she looked around. There was no one else around her in this cold land, debris from the Skyway littered about her.

"Wh-who are you?" she asked tentatively, still looking around for a place the voice could be coming from. "Where are we?"

"Hmm... Where are we?" The voice paused for a moment as she thought it over. It was a woman's voice, and not San's, Elena could tell. "Hmm. Well, I'm not quite sure... I know!" Though the Songstress could not see the person, she could tell the woman had snapped her fingers. "See that shiny plate lying over there? Look, over there."

Somehow, the Songstress was able to tell which direction the woman was talking of. Slowly, she looked over and saw some of the debris from the Skyway that acted like a large mirror. Body shaking, she rose and headed over to it. Nearing, a sharp gasp escaped her in fright. It was not her reflection in the mirror...it was a redhead's.

Millenia.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Elena. I'm Millenia." Giggling after the greeting, Mellenia waved slightly. "You okay?"

A moment of silence passed for the Songstress was dumbstruck by what was going on. That, and it was somewhat frightening to her to see this. _Is this...really Millenia? _"I... I must be dreaming," Elena managed to stammer out. "What's going on?"

"I just thought it'd be hard to talk if we couldn't do so face to face... So, here I am. Tada!"

"It can't be!" Elena backed up a step, unable to move any further for her body no longer responded. "S-so you're Millenia! The Wings of Valmar!"

The redhead grinned and flicked some of her hair back over her shoulder. "Yeah! That's me!"

Somehow, Elena managed to stop herself from shaking. Clutching her hands to fists, she took a firmer stance. "You filthy Dark One, devourer of souls! Stay away from me!"

"Hey now!" Millenia blinked in surprise. "You don't even know me! I did save you, after all."

Taken aback, Elena returned to her more normal composure. The temperature sank in on her, and she gripped her arms in attempts to keep warm. "Y-you saved me?"

"That's right! You should be _thanking_ me." She placed her hands on her hips and leaned forward in the reflection. "We share the same body, don't we? I've gotta look out for the both of us. Well, see you later."

"Wa-wait, Millenia. Millenia!"

Without waiting a second longer, the image of Millenia vanished, replaced with Elena's true reflection. "I will be with you always," came the voice of Millenia once again though her image was gone. "Wherever. Whenever. Forever. Alllll the time. See? So, let's just try to get along, shall we? Miss Granas Songstress!"

Shaken up by the whole ordeal, Elena sank to her knees. None of this was making any sense to her. Frightened and scared, she just wanted this to be over and to finally have Mellenia out of her. Off in the distance, she barely heard voices rising from the forest until they neared enough.

"HEY! Miss ELENA!" rang out Roan's voice through the cold air.

Still unable to bring herself to move, Elena sat in place as the others came rushing over to her. Relief washed over them as they found the Songstress. At first glance, she seemed unharmed.

"Elena! Are you well?" asked Mareg.

"Elena! Thank the blade..." sighed Ryudo in relief. "You don't look hurt..." Blinking, he saw the look on her face. "What is it? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Perhaps it was an apparition...for it was not a dream." Elena's body began to shake slightly. "The Day of Darkness draws near. Valmar's moon swells with wrath. The Dark One gathers strength yet again. The time of Valmar's awakening is at hand."

"Don't say such things!" snapped San, taking a step forward. Heading to Elena's side, she reached down, grabbed Elena by the shoulder, and pulled the Songstress up. Had she not continued to hold Elena, she would have surely fallen back to her knees. "The future is never certain! Remember what I told you? It'll be all right!" Her tight grip on Elena loosened. "It has to be..."

"Hey, hey," interjected Ryudo before the air around them got even more tense. "It's okay." Sighing, San backed up from Elena. Ryudo glanced between the two women before his eyes settled on the Songstress, who still seemed shaken up by the past few minutes. "Elena. ELENA!" Calling out, he snapped his fingers.

For a moment, it looked like the Songstress would once again fall to her knees. Somehow, she managed to stay standing. "Forgive me. I am all right, Ryudo. I have just had a...strange experience."

Placing a hand on his hip, Ryudo looked to the west. "Least we avoided taking a dive into the Granacliffs. I wonder how far off course we were blown...to come to this strange place."

"Looks like we were blown along the Granacliffs toward the north," explained Roan, studying their surroundings a bit more.

"Looks like we're walking from here. We'll head for the St. Heim Mountains―pretty damn hard to miss. And then, the Cathedral."

Elena nodded and murmured, "Yes... We must hurry."

Once they decided to leave right away, the group headed off. Unable to hold back, Hisashi flew off at an early point to scout out suitable paths for them. Despite the cold, monsters still littered the land, most being large snow beasts. With their combined forces, even those large monsters, that were even larger than Mareg, were easily taken care of.

They had to change their path suddenly when snow blocked their way. The little detour, oddly enough, required them to travel the old root paths created by a large tree. Under the earth was dark and damp, and still cold. San, at least, was able to wrap her cloak around her to help keep her warm. Underground, they nearly lost all sense of time, and so when they rose back above to the surface and fog started to roll in as they headed along, Ryudo wondered for a moment if they had already spent a day traveling in this cold land. Ryudo brought up his query for them having spent all day and night under the tree to San, who quickly shook her head and told him how foolish he was being. Thankfully, she had still managed to keep her sense of time.

Huddling closer together, the group pressed on. They had to reach the Cathedral quickly, and no amount of fog would deter them. They had a job to finish.

Heading along, it was Roan who first noticed a change in their surroundings. "Hold up, guys!" he called out, stopping. The rest of the group paused and looked back to him. "Look at where we are..."

The others all paused and looked around. Despite the thick fog, they could still pick out the scenery of what was near them.

A field filled with the widest range of flowers all of them had ever seen.

Raising a hand, Ryudo scratched his head in confusion. Flowers out in this weather was hardly something one would normally see. "Looks like we got ourselves pretty lost..." he murmured, taking a few steps forward.

Elena reached out and tried to shoo away the rolling fog. "The fog is so thick..."

"Is this really the right road?" questioned Roan.

Hisashi returned from ahead of them and perched on San's shoulder, his tail coiling around her neck. "It all looks the same ahead."

Ryudo sighed and dropped his arm. "Does it really matter?" Waving a hand to dismiss the matter, the Geohound moved to press onward.

"Wait a second!" called out Roan. Running up, he reached out to stop Ryudo from heading any further into the strange location.

The rustle of Mareg's footsteps were heard as he headed forward, breathing in deep the air. "Odd." A low grumble escaped deep from his throat before he gave a snort in disapproval. "There is no SMELL of life in this place."

Heading past them, Elena slowly walked forward. Still wary of their surroundings, the group headed further in. As they did, the fog grew thinner. Once it began to clear, they could see a slight incline in the land where a single tree grew high above the masses of flowers. Stopping at the front of the group, Elena knelt down. Reaching forth, she gently brushed her hand over a flower near her. It was cold to the touch. Mareg said this place had no smell of life to it...nor did it feel to have any life to it, she concluded.

Her expression became pensive. "...Why do flowers bloom in such a cold and barren place?"

"What the?" exclaimed San, backing up a step. Out of no where came a bunch of little balls of light that floated around the group as if curious about the newcomers.

"Who are you?" asked an unknown voice from near the direction of the tree. "This is my garden."

All of them looked up and saw a young girl in a yellow dress standing before Elena in the field of flowers. Green hair bordered her face as her wide eyes stared at the Songstress. As she looked at Elena, the Songstress felt a little unsettled.

The girl's eyes...they were not normal.

Behind, San stiffened and quickly backed up. Crooning softly, Hisashi tried to comfort her.

Quickly, Elena dusted off her leggings and rose. "I am sorry. We are travelers, lost on the road."

"This is the Garden of Happiness," explained the young girl. She looked to be only a couple years younger than Roan. "My precious, secret place. Everyone who comes here forgets their bad memories and gets happy. If you come here, it means that your heart wants to be saved. Look. Aren't the flowers so pretty?" Her odd eyes closed as she smiled.

Even closed, Elena was still unsettled by them. "Um...um...but... Your eyes...are they perhaps..."

"Yes." Elena did not even have to ask the full question before the girl answered. "My eyes were bad ever since I was born. But I'm fine now!" A soft giggle escaped her. "Thanks to Granas, I can see everything now. So I'm not lonely any longer."

Ryudo raised an eyebrow in question. Shrugging it off, he looked over the field. "These flowers are...nice enough, I guess. If you're into that stuff. Not my style."

The young girl's unsettling gaze moved to Ryudo, who immediately stiffened. There certainly was something off about it all. "That's 'cause you're not trying to see. You're trying to be someone you're not. Warm your heart. Like these ones..." A smile parted her lips as the lights that had been circling around the companions moved to the young girl. Then, her gaze fell back onto Elena. "Miss, I thought you would understand how good this place is..."

"What do you mean?" asked the Songstress warily.

"Don't you understand? Then you should ask the girl with the black wings!"

"Black...wings...?"

"Anyway, keep this place a secret. Promise?" Without waiting for an answer, she dashed back towards the tree. Stopping, she looked back to Elena. "Miss, don't eat me!" And with that...she vanished.

Ryudo's brow was heavily furrowed in confusion. "What's with that girl?"questioned the brunet. Shaking her head, Elena turned back to face them. No one there could answer. "Oh well. Let's go on." As the group began to head out, Ryudo noted that it was now San who was not moving. Reaching out, he tapped her shoulder. "Hey. What's wrong?"

"That girl..." murmured San, glancing to him. "She's not normal..."

"Hey now, that's not exactly the nicest thing to say about a little kid."

San grunted and shook off his shoulder. At least she did not do it with the same vehemence as she had the day before. "Come on, we don't want to get split up in this place." Quickly, the two caught back up with Elena, Mareg and Roan as they left the garden. The fog once again returned, becoming so thick the group could not see more than a foot in front of them.

"Huh! Now where are we?" asked Elena once the mysterious fog rolled away, revealing they were back to the snow-covered pine forest.

"Hey, that little girl and her garden... Where did they go?" questioned Ryudo, turning around to look where had just come from.

"...Could it have been a dream?" offered Roan, glancing about.

"All of us having the same dream? What are the chances of _that_?" murmured San before she pressed on, the rest of the group following. They still had to reach the Cathedral.


	7. The Rising Shadows

VII

_The Rising Shadows_

A light shiver ran up Ryudo's spine as a cool breeze blew by. The young Geohound was comforted only slightly by the fact that the village was now in sight. Even at the distance from it they were at, he could already tell it would not be that great of a village. A place of rest, though, that was all they needed after what they had gone through. When they entered it, however, Ryudo wondered for a moment if their group would even be able to fully rest while here.

He had felt chilled and dreary since the crash landing, blaming that to the weather, and that odd garden, but when they entered the village, it only felt worse. All his energy felt like it was slowly being drained out. There was something in this village of Mirumu that wanted to smother them out. Previously, in Agear and Liligue, each of those places had felt deserted. In Mirumu, though it appeared somewhat emptier than a village of its size should be, did not have that same deserted feeling, but a worse one. It was unsettling.

Looking over, Ryudo studied his companions for a moment. Mareg remained as gruff as ever, and Roan and Elena remained somewhat chipper, if taken down a level due to the recent events. San, however, Ryudo noted, seemed to be affected by the smothering feeling he had also felt. His theory on her being able to tell was confirmed when she spoke.

"There's something wrong here..." she murmured, pulling her cloak around her tighter.

"Wrong?" repeated Roan, moving up to her side.

The blue-haired Geohound cast her eyes down to the young blond before nodding slightly. "Yeah..."

Sighing lightly, Ryudo placed a hand on his hip. Already, with getting to know her on their travels, he suspected she would not go beyond that answer unless asked more. "And what's your definition of 'wrong' then?"

Most times, he would have suspected to get some sort of light glare back for his phrasing, but he grew more concerned when San merely stared on out ahead towards the village. "Like Liligue...and back in the Garmia Tower."

Ryudo had another shiver travel down his spine, and this one was not due to the cold. Liligue and Garmia Tower...there was one thing those two places had held in common. "You mean...dealing with the seals?" The blue-haired Geohound nodded. Behind her, Elena silently clasped her hands together, as though that were enough to make it not so. Behind even her, Mareg tilted his head back and breathed deeply.

"There does not seem to be the same SMELL in this place as of that of the demon-man," grumbled Mareg, crossing his arms. That gave Ryudo some sense of relief, since Mareg's senses were trustworthy enough. As if the beast-man's comment confirmed it completely, the brunet looked back to San, but became somewhat crestfallen when he saw her expression had not changed.

"I hope for our sakes I'm wrong..."

It took a lot for Ryudo to hold back a groan. He really did not want every place they visited to have some bad stuff going on that would then make Elena want to help the people. It would take them long enough to get to the Cathedral as is.

"You hope?" questioned Roan, looking up to the sombre woman.

Her dark cloak swayed in the breeze as she let go of it to be able to cross her arms. On her shoulder, Hisashi huddled closer to her, as if sensing that she needed comfort. "Think about it, we've been fairly lucky in our past encounters with the broken seals. It _is_ parts of a God we've been dealing with, after all, one that only Granas was able to stop...for a time..." she added quietly.

"We'll be fine here," sighed Ryudo, as if that ended the discussion.

Walking forward, Elena was nodding slightly. "There is a certain...sadness about this village. I wonder as to its source..." She raised a hand to her mouth thoughtfully.

At that time, a local passed by and noticed them. For a moment, that made Ryudo wonder just how many people were in the village at that time.

"Oh! The Sister has arrived! I'm so glad... Now the village is saved! Chief! Chief! The Sister has arrived! She's here!" exclaimed the villager, rushing off.

"H-hey, wait!" blurted out San, reaching out as though that would stop the man. Hisashi rose from his perch and circled around the group.

"Little late for that," he chirped.

"Are they...speaking of me?" asked Elena, as confused as the rest.

The brunet scratched his head. First it was worry, and now it was excitement. Emotions around their group were changing rapidly. "Huh? What's going on here?" he murmured. Their group did not have to wait long to find out what had gone on. In a few minutes, the villager that had passed them was rushing back, a couple others following him.

The one they assumed to be the village chief for the way he held himself and was dressed stepped forward once the villagers neared. "So you've finally come!" he exclaimed in relief, focusing on Elena. "Our village...please... I beg of you...save us..."

Keeping true to his job, Ryudo moved forward to make sure no sudden moves were tried on the Songstress. "You've lost me, chief. I don't think any of us put in weekend reservations here," commented the Geohound.

The blue-haired chief switched his attention to Ryudo. "Wait... So you haven't come to save this village?"

"Our journey is to Granas Cathedral," explained Elena. "We are merely passing through, but..."

"Elena..." warned San, not letting down her guard. The Songstress sent San a pleading look for a second before she dipped her head.

"So you haven't come to save this village... I thought for sure they'd be here by now," commented the original villager they had met. "What does this mean for us?"

"Good question. What's going on here?" asked Ryudo, crossing his arms.

The village chief answered, "These things shouldn't be spoken of in this place... Please, come to my home." Silence fell around them as the group followed the village chief to his home. Once inside, they spread out. "You see, strange things have been happening here in this village... Villagers have been suddenly falling asleep..."

"That tends to happen when people are tired," muttered San quietly.

The chief continued, not catching what the Geohound had said. "At first we thought it was just fatigue, but they keep sleeping... Days and days at a time."

"And you do not believe that they are merely unwell?" questioned Mareg, his deep voice filling the entire room.

The chief hung his head solemnly. "I wish it were so, but..."

"They're not?" figured Ryudo.

"...To be blunt, I believe it is some kind of curse."

Elena gasped lightly and raised her hands to her mouth. "A curse!" she repeated hastily. "What leads you to believe this?"

"The dreams," answered the chief. "Ever since falling asleep, all of the villagers keep having the same dream. A...presence. Watching, Waiting. Its eyes...great and terrible... Terrifying!"

Expression flat, Ryudo tapped his fingers on his arm. "Curse. Right."

"We have no solid proof. Yet, we could not bear the dread of it; we sent to the Cathedral for aid."

"So that is why you thought Sister Elena was here to save you," figured Roan, piping up.

The village chief looked to him and nodded. "Yes, that's exactly so."

"Well, it's a damn shame, but like we said," sighed Ryudo, moving as though to leave, "we're just passing through."

"But, but..." stammered out the chief, trying to get the Geohound to stop. "May I ask one thing of you...?"

Turning around, the brunet raised an eyebrow skeptically. "What is it?"

"Will you please stay here for just one day? The Priestess from the Cathedral should be here soon. I don't expect you to take her place, but if your Sister stays here, the curse may be somewhat allayed."

"Another one fell asleep today... We are all uneasy," added another villager that had come with them.

Hands still clasped together, Elena gave the Geohounds pleading looks. "Ryudo, San..."

Grunting in annoyance, Ryudo looked over to the blue-haired Geohound. She merely looked back, that same expression on her face as when they entered this smothering village. Shrugging lightly, she answered, "I guess it can't be helped."

A long sigh escaped Ryudo as he scratched the back of his head. He had hoped San would be the one to voice objection first so that they could then leave this place. But, with that no longer an option... "Well, it is dark out..." he murmured.

The Songstress could not help it, a soft smile touched her lips at the opportunity to aid these villagers. Even if nothing were to come from it, at least it would bring them comfort. Facing the chief again, she bowed. "We shall do as you ask. It is not much, but we would be happy to stay in the village."

With their next course of action decided, the group of companions took their leave for the local inn. A cold wind blew down the streets, making them only slightly glad at staying in the village for the night rather than out in the wilderness.

"A curse..." muttered San.

"Could it at all be related to what was happening in Liligue?" asked Elena, concerned.

A scoff escaped Ryudo, pessimistic as ever. "How the hell would people not being able to taste food be related to people suddenly falling asleep?"

"It is a mystery..." commented Roan.

Silence fell for a moment before San spoke up again: "There is one answer that explains both."

"San..." murmured Hisashi. Absentmindedly, San scratched him on the eye ridge to calm the drake down.

"If there is a broken Seal of Granas around here, it would explain what's going on."

Leaning his head back, the beast-man sniffed the cold air once again. "I still do not detect the foul stench of that vile being in this place."

"Nor do there seem to be any ruins in this place like that of Liligue," added Roan.

"Besides, why would something related to Valmar be making people fall _asleep_?" questioned Ryudo, not wanting this ordeal to be about that blasted Devil. He turned around as they walked through the streets, eyeing San to judge her reaction.

"Who knows what the final goal is, or what the path to get there would be. I'm just saying we shouldn't rule out the possibility."

"I agree with San," nodded Elena. "If this is the work of Valmar, then once the Priestess from the Cathedral arrives, the matter should be taken care of."

Groaning, Ryudo turned back around and was the first to enter the inn. It was a fairly dank place, the fire off on the fare wall making inside only a fraction better than the outside. As soon as they entered, a woman with violet hair turned to face them. She studied them for a moment before her eyes went wide and rushed forward, focused on Elena.

"Could you be the Sister!" she asked, clearly frantic. Instinctively, Elena took a step back. "Oh, we've been waiting for you! I am Irina. My son Nicolas does not wake up! Please do what you can to save him!"

Shaking her head somberly, Elena was pained to answer, "Um...unfortunately...we are simple travelers. We are not the ones you are expecting..."

The Songstress' words seemed to hurt the innkeeper. Casting her gaze down, the violet-haired woman backed up. "Oh... I am so sorry... I've made a terrible mistake."

"If you have contacted the Cathedral, I am certain that someone will arrive soon. Please, wait yet a little longer."

"Yes... I suppose you are right..."

"But... But...you say that your son has fallen ill?"

"Sister, perhaps if you look at him, you might be able to learn something. Would you mind coming this way? Please?" Before waiting for a response, Irina headed off to the door that lead further in to the inn.

"Is this the curse they were talking about?" asked Ryudo as their group followed.

"It appears to be so..." muttered Elena sadly.

They were shown into a room where a boy who bore resemblance to Irina lay resting on the bed. The blankets were tucked in neatly around him and he appeared no more than simply resting.

"This is Nicolas," explained Irina, moving to the side of her son. Softly, ran her hand over his forehead. "He seems to be sleeping peacefully, but he never wakes up."

There was a smile on the boy's face. "...It is so...much fun...here..." he murmured quietly as Irina pulled her hand away.

"He doesn't sound sick," commented Ryudo, lacing his hands behind his head. "Maybe he's just easily entertained. Whee."

Roan stepped forward to voice his thoughts: "Is this not just like Gadan! Perhaps Miss San is right then..."

"You saying Valmar devoured his soul?

"Yet, there is still no foul SMELL about this place..." commented Mareg once again. It was the only fact that kept their group from searching for some sign of Valmar at that moment.

Elena bowed her head to Irina. "Unfortunately, I cannot...help you at all."

A soft laugh escaped the innkeeper, one that seemed filled more with defeat rather than joy. "That innocent face...maybe he's playing with the fairies in the Garden of Dreams..."

That got all of their attentions. Blinking, Elena looked back up to the violet-haired woman. "'Garden of Dreams?' The place we passed through... Irina, before arriving here, we came upon a garden, filled with fairies..."

A look of disbelief came across Irina's face as she looked back to the group of companions. "You can't be serious. It is a tale told to children, full of song and fancy, meaning nothing. It's a fantasy." To her, the matter of the Garden was dismissed.

However, to the others, it was hardly a matter to be lightly glanced over. "No, it was definitely real... Flowers everywhere and fairies flitting about. I couldn't dream this up. Believe me." Ryudo nodded firmly after his comment.

"Not to mention we _all _saw it," added San.

Nodding, the Songstress continued to explain: "There was a little girl. A strange girl...who can see everything. She had a scar above her right eye."

While the innkeeper had initially tried to dismiss the matter, that comment got her full attention. A heated glare crossed the tired face of Irina. "That's Aira, Sandra's daughter. Oh, how eerie... So this curse was the work of Sandra after all."

Raising her hands, Elena tried to stay the woman from jumping to any conclusions. "Please, do not be so quick to jump to conclusions. Is Sandra from the village?"

"She lives in back of the village. How could that hateful wretch do this to my poor sweet Nicolas..." Without waiting for any response from the group, Irina walked off in a huff. Before they could do anything else, Elena turned to the brunet.

"Ryudo, if that girl were indeed Aira, I would like to speak with her again."

"Huh?" he asked back, his arms quickly falling.

"I keep thinking about what she said..." The songstress cast her eyes down, a pensive look crossing her face.

"'Don't eat me?' Well, you HAVE been putting on a few pounds... You have to see it from her point of view."

Raising his hands, young Roan stopped them before the bantering could grow worse. "Oh, stop. She was an odd little girl... And I wonder... Was that garden real?"

A cross between a grunt and a huff escaped Mareg. "As real as the dreams of a wise man; nether fantasy nor substance. A mist rising in the morning, melting into air by noon."

Ryudo blinked a couple times at the beast-man before regaining his thoughts. "If we find Aira, we can ask her," he decided.

"Yes... We shall see..." agreed Elena before the group decided to head back out. Irina was just outside in the main room of the inn, cleaning.

"Aaaaah, Nicolas. How could it come to this? Sandra is to blame... That witch... How could she do this to Nicolas?" she asked, somewhat to herself. Ryudo neared her.

"But you have no proof that this Sandra person did this, right?" asked Ryudo.

A glare was still on her face as she looked to the Geohound, but it was not one for him. "We may have no proof, but before this happened to Nicolas... That woman's daughter, Aira, her blindness, which couldn't be cured by ANY doctor, suddenly got better. Don't you find that strange! That...witch...she did something to Nicolas. That's the only explanation..."

"We'll just have to find out. C'mon." San tossed her head towards the door and the group left Irina to herself. Taking the lead, Ryudo hurried on through the cold streets, wanting to get this matter over with as soon as possible. None of the villagers that passed them hindered or slowed them down. Word had most likely already spread that Elena was not the Priestess they had been waiting for.

With being the first one of them to reach the bridge, Ryudo quickly stopped in his tracks. "That girl...it IS Aira!" he exclaimed, pointing off towards the house that lay on the other side of the small bridge. His other companions came beside him and saw the girl he spoke of.

Playing in the field beside the house was a young green-haired girl in a bright yellow dress. She seemed so out of place in Mirumu, like a single flower in a barren land...just...without that connotation of hope. On the contrary, they almost feared finding out what the truth would be.

"So it was not our imagination... She IS real," breathed out Elena. Without waiting a moment longer, the Songstress hurried on down the bridge and towards the young girl.

"She really, _really_, needs to stop doing that," sighed San as the rest of them moved quickly to stay on Elena's heels. Noticing them near, the green-haired girl stopped and looked up to the group. With her eyes the way they were, they were uncertain as to who she was focusing on, but quickly assumed it was Elena.

"Aira...dear?" asked the Songstress softly, kneeling down before the girl to be at her eye level.

The young girl smiled and nodded lightly. "Hi again, Miss."

"Dear... When you said 'don't eat me' before, what did you mean?"

"Hm? I meant just what I said. I know YOU are okay, Miss, but..."

"Excuse the interruption here, but this has been bugging me―what WAS that garden?" interjected Ryudo, stepping forward.

Aira's unnerving gaze switched from Elena to Ryudo. It made the Geohound stiffen slightly and grow nervous. It was then he fully agreed with San when he remembered how she had said Aira was not normal. Even then, the blue-haired Geohound had been able to tell. "It's a safe place for people when they're sad," explained Aira. "It's not like everyplace else―all hurting. I just want everyone to be happy." She blinked then as her gaze shifted slightly to someone else of their group. For a moment, Ryudo wondered if it had been the first time the girl had blinked since they met her. "So you really do have an Old One with you."

Caught surprised by what appeared to be a random comment, Ryudo looked over his shoulder to Mareg, as did Elena and Roan. Surely, in their group, he would be the likely one to be called an "Old One". The beast-man gave a snort in surprise at the three of them suddenly looking to him.

They could not have been more wrong.

Aira's unsettling gaze had not fallen on Mareg, but rather the one standing in front of him. It took all of her strength for San to hide her surprise. Thankfully, her expression remained masked, and, before it was too late, she looked over her shoulder to Mareg as well.

"No, not him," dissuaded Aira. All eyes fell back onto her. She would have explained further when another voice interrupted them.

"Aira, where have you gone? AIRA!" yelled out a distressed woman. Turning towards the source of the voice, the group saw a frazzled-looking middle-aged woman with long green hair. Clinging to the shawl around her , she spotted Aira and the group of travelers. "AIRA! I told you not to go outside! YOU!" she shrieked out, rushing towards Aira. Quicker than ever before, Elena rose up and stepped back to not get the woman any more upset than she already was. "Get away from Aira! What are you trying to do to her!" Kneeling down, the woman wrapped her arms protectively around Aira, who did not once change her expression.

"Mother, she is all right. She is not bothering me."

"Now, now. We are travelers and we were just talking to little Aira. We would never do anything to her," explained Roan calmly.

"I am terribly sorry if my...appearance has startled you," grumbled Mareg, dipping his head in apology.

The mother looked between the group and her daughter. After a few tense moments, she sighed and rose. "No, no...there is no need... I had assumed the worst...but...that one..." Her harsh gaze fell onto Elena who immediately startled.

"Me? What have I done?" questioned the Songstress worriedly.

Shaking her head quickly, the mother dismissed it. "I'm sorry. My name is Sandra. Please come inside. I cannot talk out here." Keeping a tight hand on her daughter's shoulder, Sandra led them all over to the entrance of their house. Several nervous glances escaped her before they entered the home.

"So, what's with the secrecy? There's a reason you want to avoid notice?" asked Ryudo once they were all in and he closed the door.

Taking her time now that they were safely inside, Sandra went to sit down at a nearby chair while the rest continued to stand. She was able to relax only slightly once settled. "There are those who do not wish Aira well. The innkeeper's son, Nicolas, fell ill, you see, while Aira was with him. They were just playing...and then... There is a children's story, a fairy tale. In the tale there is a garden..."

"That's right. I promised to take Nicolas to the garden!" exclaimed Aira, smiling lightly. While most children's smiles were bright and cheerful, hers was not.

"Aira!" snapped Sandra. "Don't say such things!"

Crestfallen, Aira looked to her mother. "But..." She then held her tongue and looked away to Roan. "Say... Let me see that medal."

That caught Roan by surprise. Reaching up, he gripped the medal that hung around his neck since Agear. "Uh, but this is..." he murmured, not letting go of his memento.

"Your mother gave it to you, right?"

A startled noise escaped Roan. She had known without him finishing what he was saying or having anyone else even mention the fact. "Well, yes. But..." Without asking again, the young girl moved in front of Roan and held out her hand expectantly. Sighing softly, Roan removed the medal and handed it over to Aira. As if captivated by it, the young girl studied the memento.

"I'm so sorry..." murmured Sandra before returning her attention to Elena. "Anyway, the villagers here look at me strangely. And to think, my prayers to Granas had finally been answered, and Aira's blindness cured."

"Her sight was restored through prayer? This is a miracle!" The Songstress clasped her hands together with joy.

"For once, Elena's right," agreed Ryudo, albeit reluctantly. "It's a damn miracle that your prayers actually worked. No wonder the villagers think you're a witch..."

"Ryudo!"

Sandra laced her fingers together and looked down solemnly. "Aira is my treasure. Her eyesight was poor since she was born, and I have had such a hard time... I looked for medicinal herbs and prayed for her sight, but the others called my mixtures 'witch's brews' and my prayers 'summonings'. And just when Aira is finally healed by prayer, and I am blessed with a little happiness, they blame me for this curse..."

"I am sorry..." murmured Elena.

"Don't get ideas, Elena," warned Ryudo. "There's nothing we can do. By now, the Church has probably sent some people to look into it, anyway. Let them deal with it. We're not the experts here. Come on, there's still a lot of ground to cover before we reach the Cathedral."

Sighing, the Songstress cast her gaze to the side. "You are right..."

"C'mon, let's head back to the inn." The Geohound looked over to the young blond. "Okay, Roan?" Nodding quickly, Roan held out his hand to Aira, who gave the medal back without question.

"Thank you. Your mother was very pretty." Nodding her head, the young girl moved over towards her mother when she suddenly stopped and gasped. The group, who had begun to move to leave, all turned back around.

"What's wrong, Aira?" asked Sandra, concerned.

"...Scary people have come, mother. Really scary people..." Quickly, Sandra went down before her daughter and held her protectively.

"Guess we'll soon see what she means," muttered San before she was the first to head outside. The others quickly followed, Elena bowing before she left. When they first hit outside, they could already hear the noise from villagers stirring. Though, even with them on the move, Mirumu still did not feel completely normal. Cape billowing out behind her, San rushed up to the bridge and studied what was going on in the main part of the village.

"Hey, hurry up! We mustn't make them wait!" exclaimed a voice.

They heard another respond, "Wait up!"

"Hey, what's all the commotion?" questioned Ryudo as the companions moved into the main part of the village.

A passing man answered, "I heard that the Priestess and her party from the Cathedral have finally arrived!"

"That's...some timing," murmured San as she placed her hands behind her head. As the villager rushed off ahead of them, the group of companions made their way towards the entrance. It seemed as though every villager that was not sick was there...which still did not end up being that many.

With the villagers so sparse, they had no trouble making their way closer to the front of the crowd. Elena, who had been able to make her way through the villagers faster than the others, was the first to stop once she had a clear view of what was going on.

"I-it can't be...the Cathedral Knights," she breathed out as the others neared her. The Geohounds looked at each other for a second and shrugged, not understanding why the Songstress would seem so concerned and worried over seeing people of the same group as her. Looking out, they saw a pious-looking woman dressed in pure-white robes. There was no mistaking her for anything other than a Priestess. Behind her stood those that had to be the Cathedral Knights. Their armor glinted like stars in this dreary village, swords drawn and ready for whatever may be ordered of them.

"Well, well how terrible for you," spoke the Priestess to the village chief. "But never fear, the Cathedral Knights are here. We shall dispel the darkness before your eyes."

A wave of relief seemed to wash over the chief as he bowed in gratitude. "Oh, your words are most reassuring...! Please, do what you can!"

Nodding her head, the dark-haired Priestess surveyed the village. "This village is full of Darkness. Darkness with terrible powers."

"W-what has brought this upon us?"

Holding herself taller, the Priestess had an air of authority about her as she eyed the village chief. "I have purified much Darkness in my work, so far. From my experience, this Darkness...is the doing of Valmar. I am NOT mistaken."

To Ryudo's side, San raised an eyebrow. "Something tells me that's an automatic answer for her...despite it being a possibility in this case." The other Geohound nodded his head in silent agreement.

"Oh no..." murmured the chief.

"Until further notice, this village shall be under the control of us, the Cathedral Knights," commanded the Priestess. Though she only had to raise her voice slightly more, there was such presence in it that all there were able to hear. Murmurs ran through the villagers around them as the Priestess continued. "All entrances shall be sealed. No one may enter or exit the village. Understood? Anyone violating my order shall be deemed a minion of Darkness and...purified in the name of Lord Granas." Her robes swishing across the ground, she faced the Knights. Raising a hand to them, she ordered, "Come my Knights of Granas. Take up your blades to cut down the Darkness. God's Light shall shine!"

In perfect synchronization, the Knights raised their blades higher in a salute. It was rather unsettling in its own way, seeing how the Knights could move like such mindless machines. They remained like that for now, awaiting the next order to be given.

Bringing her attention back to the chief, the Priestess nodded her head only slightly. "I ought to have introduced myself. I am Selene, leader of the Cathedral Knights. I am pleased to meet you."

"...Hey, Elena," murmured Ryudo, glancing to the Songstress. "You know that crazy zealot over there?"

A sigh escaped her, an almost regretful one. "Yes... She is the High Priestess Selene, leader of the Cathedral Knights... Now, High Priestess Selene is known to be...an excellent...inquisitor of heresy. I'm afraid this town might be in for a bit of trouble..."

"Great, that's exactly what we need now," murmured San, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"Just what are those guys planning to do here?" Shrugging off his own question, Ryudo began to move forward. The inn was nearby, and with the Priestess officially here to help the villagers, he would have no problem with leaving first thing in the morning. He only hoped that Elena would be fine with it too, and would not wish to linger to help those of Mirumu.

However, he should have suspected their movements would not go unnoticed. Before they had moved two steps, Selene's eyes fell upon them. It was a cold gaze that studied them as she neared the group.

"Well, well. Are you not a Sister of Granas? I was not told of a Sister in this town."

Standing to attention quickly, Elena clasped her hands before her and bowed to the dark-haired Priestess. "Oh, I am Elena, a Songstress of Granas. I am on my way to Granas Cathedral to report to his Holiness Zera."

Selene raised her head slightly, as if to look down upon them. She seemed somewhat amused by Elena's words. "To report to His Holiness Zera... You must be a very accomplished student. I am sure His Holiness will be pleased. Your mission must be important... As is mine―to purify the world of Darkness. Let us both work to the utmost of our abilities."

"Yes. Th-thank you very much..." Lowering her voice so none of the villagers would overhear, Elena then explained to the Priestess their current situation.

Selene raised her eyebrows. "Is this so...? Indeed, you must desire to make haste if your intent is to report to his Holiness. How awkward for you."

"No, in fact... the ceremony failed..."

"Watch your words, Elena," warned Ryudo, stepping forward in her defence.

"Well, who might you be...?" inquired Selene, not seeming to care much for the answer.

"Name's Ryudo, and this is San. The Sister is under our protection."

"I see. For your trouble, I thank you." The Priestess then cave one of the most curt bows he had ever seen.

Shaking his head, he tried to dismiss the rudeness of the Priestess and continued: "You can thank us by letting us through this village. Oh, and these two as well. They're with us."

Absentmindedly, Selene brushed some of her dark hair back behind her shoulder. "This is not possible."

Clenching a fist, Ryudo tried very hard to keep his anger in check. "Hey, cut me some slack here! We're no threat to you or your cause."

"I cannot. Did you not hear what I just said? This village is now sealed. Leave, and be purified." Raising a hand, she motioned over her shoulder without even looking. Following command, the near-mechanical Knights encircled the companions. Though they still kept their distance, the message was clear. A low growl escaped Mareg while San placed a hand on the hilt of her blade. Though most times, Ryudo would have done the same as the blue-haired Geohound, he knew that would not help their situation at the moment. "Until this matter surrounding this village is resolved, no one may leave. Not Elena, not you, not anyone," finished Selene.

A sigh of anger escaped Ryudo as he ran a hand through his hair, being pushed close to his limits. "Look, we need to report to YOUR boss. Get word to him about us, and I'm sure he'll permit us to 'make haste' to the Cathedral."

Her dislike for Ryudo was seen in her eyes and heard in her voice, though her expression remained impartial. "Regardless of your schedule, it is my duty to ensure that the Darkness in this village is exterminated. Without exception."

"By the blood!" Ryudo smacked his forehead with a hand. This was making him dislike the Church and its followers even more. "Even if your aim is to expunge the Darkness, what will you do when you find it? No one can stand against a god!"

"Worry not. We are the Cathedral Knights, blessed by Lord Granas. Discovering the allies of Valmar is a simple task. As is purifying the unclean."

"What is it with you and this 'purify' thing? For some reason, I doubt your knights are packing soap and bubble bath in that armor."

To his side, San seemed to be fuming with silent anger. Beneath her gloves, her knuckles turned white with how tightly she was clenching her hands. "Think hard for a moment, Ryudo. What does the Church normally do to those it finds to be enemies?" Ryudo thought for a moment on her words, but only ended up giving her a questioning glance.

"...She means to kill them," answered Roan, quietly. The young boy hung his head. "I remember one village somewhere that was burned to the ground by Cathedral Knights."

"That's some strong bubble bath," murmured the brunet.

"No, that is not correct," interjected the Priestess, shaking her head. "Lord Granas does not approve of mindless slaughter. The Holy Fire of Lord Granas merely purifies those who have sold their soul to Valmar... We have purged Darkness from this world, leaving none of its taint unpurified. Thanks be to Granas."

San took a firm step forward. "I don't know about you, but last time I checked, fire '_purifies'_ those who have sinned or not the same! It can't distinguish between the two!"

Matching her level, Ryudo added, "There's that word again. I fail to see the difference between your... method, and murder."

"If you, um..." began Elena, her soft voice breaking past the angered Geohounds, "were to find a person possessed by Valmar, what would you do to her...or him?"

Her proud gaze moved from Ryudo and San back to the Songstress. For a moment, she studied Elena, as if trying to find something hidden in her words. "Should that be the case, this entire village shall be purified by the Holy Fire of Lord Granas. Such a sacrifice is necessary in order to rid the world of Valmar's presence."

"Wh-what! You-you can't do that!" blurted out the village chief.

"Do not be afraid, for the Holy Fire cleanses only the sinner. Those who are pure of heart need not worry. Of course, this is assuming there are persons without sin before Granas." Her words made San bury her face in a hand to keep her anger in check while the chief of the village gasped in surprise. "Well then, please tell me the details. Only then shall we seek out the apostles of Valmar."

"A- alright then." His eyes flickered to the travelers for a moment before leading Selene and a few of her Knights into the village. Those from the Cathedral that remained moved to block the entrance. Mirumu was now officially sealed; no one would be allowed in or out. A curse escaped San once the villagers began to disperse.

"So what should we do now, Mister Ryudo?" asked Roan.

"Security's too tight," he answered, cupping his chin in his hand. "We have no choice but to camp here tonight. We'll be left alone for now; Elena's company protects us from suspicion. Though for how long, I can't say."

With there being nothing else for them to do at the moment, lest they wanted a battle on their hands, the group of companions headed for the inn. Irina, who was now waiting behind the main desk, looked up to them as they entered. Elena was the one of them to speak with the innkeeper about acquiring rooms for the night.

"Sweet dreams to all of you..." murmured Irina as they headed to a table to wait for their meal.

"They sure do get excited easily here. They have a few bad harvests and they stop thinking, eh? I guess they feel they need to blame someone..." commented Ryudo after he tore into his bread.

Elena picked up her fork, but did not begin to eat. "Irina, Sandra...little Aira. These people are simply struggling... That doesn't make them evil or anything..."

Roan wiped away some food on the corner of his mouth with his napkin. "If you are suffering, you can be blinded to the needs of others..."

"There is still no malicious scent, but something does SMELL awry... There is something strange in this village," grumbled Mareg before he tore off a hunk of the meat he was eating.

San shook her head softly as she held her cup in her hands. "I just hope she doesn't find the source of the village's problems...or else there will certainly be more trouble."

Elena cast her eyes down and murmured, "I hope nothing terrible happens..."

"Just who do they think is 'bad' anyway?" questioned Ryudo to no one in particular. "I'd say these knights who run around and scare people are the real problem."

"Those Cathedral Knights are merciless..." agreed Roan. "At this rate, the entire village will be burned to the ground."

"'Holy Fire', she says," scoffed San. "I'd like to see her prove its abilities on herself."

"I don't think Valmar can be defeated by anyone, not even those 'holy' knights out there," commented Ryudo, agreeing in his own way with what San said when they first entered the village.

"Valmar possesses even me..." sighed Elena, her voice sounding like she were losing hope.

"Elena, we're all here to help you. Just try not to draw too much attention from Selene while here. We don't want to see what she'll do to us and the villagers," warned San.

"Those knights might have killed all the villagers!" added Roan, becoming worried. "And what would have happened to Miss Elena..."

"There is no one with an evil SMELL here, but..." murmured Mareg, voicing his thoughts. Ryudo rubbed the back of his neck for a moment.

"Well, we DO have Elena with us. I can't imagine those overly-holy knights will kill one of their own..."

"For now..." added San, sipping her drink.

"We do not know that for certain!" agreed Roan. "Even now they are trying to kill innocent people!"

"If these villagers are suffering it is because of Valmar...without a doubt. San was right," nodded Elena solemnly.

"What can we do...?" questioned Ryudo quietly.

"I cannot believe that nothing will happen. I am sure there will be trouble..." voiced Roan.

"Let's just hope it won't be caused from us," grunted San before she began to eat more of her dinner.

"I think the best course of action is to get out of here before that Selene woman causes more trouble," decided Ryudo. "First thing tomorrow, we go."


	8. Valmar's Gaze

VIII

_Valmar's Gaze_

Stretching his arms above his head, Ryudo walked into the main room of the inn. Though he wanted to sleep more than anything at the moment, the events of the day continued to play through his mind, keeping him from just that. Each village they stopped at seemed to have more trouble than the last. What this was leading up to...he did not want to know. Though he did not let the others see, it was starting to worry him. A yawn escaped him and then the young Geohound blinked.

"What's wrong, Elena?" he asked when he saw the Songstress standing by the window. Her hands clasped together, Ryudo now knew her well enough to be able to tell that she was concerned about something. As he scratched the back of his head, he headed on over to her.

"It's Valmar's moon," she responded, sparing him a glance. "It's so eerie... I wonder if it always stares down on us like that." Her sad gaze returned to the window and what lay outside. The red glow of the cursed moon ever reminded them of what they had to deal with. At the very least, it was not the same searching glow as the night when they were on the Skyway. Eyebrow raised, Ryudo peered out the window for a moment, frowning at Valmar's moon.

"No use getting worked up about something you can't do anything about," he sighed, leaning back. "Besides, we're pretty damn far enough away from it." That, though, he knew made no difference. But, he was not about to let that affect Elena's mood.

"...I suppose...but what of the presence of Valmar...inside of me?" The Songstress placed her hands over her chest.

"...Oh, Millenia..." A sigh escaped Elena at Ryudo's realization. They had come all this way and still had so long to go. Until they reached the Cathedral, Elena was stuck with the redhead. "C'mon, lighten up. Millenia's not all that bad..."

Elena snapped around in a huff and faced the Geohound. "Ryudo! How can you be so...cavalier about such things? We speak of the power of Darkness itself! Who knows when...Millenia will do something like Gadan did―or worse? What if her purpose is to restore Valmar to life?"

Through Elena's venting, Ryudo barely flinched. He had dealt with much worse outbursts. And, not to mention, he was beginning to get used to hers. Pinching the bridge of his nose, the Geohound sighed before placing his hands on Elena's shoulders.

"Again, we can't do anything about it. Right now, at least. But isn't this why we're going to the Cathedral?"

Her anger quickly subsided as fast as it rose. A look of defeat crossed her face. "Valmar prepares a dwelling place within the souls of the wicked..." She shook her head lightly. "I am sure Millenia is the evil inside of me; she is the blackness in my soul!"

"Hey, don't let it get you down. What happened to your happy face?" He tried to force a smile, which was harder than he imagined in his current mood. Elena blinked and looked up at him. Ryudo could tell she was trying to keep her expression sombre; this was not such a time for anything else. "C'mon, we'll knock on the doors of the Cathedral, Zera will get off his porcelain throne, and he'll make everything okay."

Grunting in annoyance, Elena shook out of Ryudo's grip. Once again, her anger rose. "Stop it, Ryudo! This is serious! Must you always be so...flippant?"

The Geohound was taken aback for a moment. He had thought his plan was working. "I-I was just trying to cheer you up..." His expression grew cold. He had had enough of this. "Blazes! Fine. Fine. I GET IT... As expected of the Wings of Valmar, it is difficult to visit injury upon Millenia. You, on the other hand..." Taking a step back, he drew forth a dagger that was kept on the side of his boot and pointed it at the Songstress.

"Ryu-Ryudo!" she stammered out, stumbling back in surprise. She gripped the windowsill next to her, shocked that the Geohound was doing such a thing. After all they had gone through...it had come down to this?

"Hey, you're not giving me a choice here. You can keep crying about Valmar this and Valmar that, or we can settle this now." Sighing, he twirled the dagger around once before sheathing it. "You calmed down yet? Hey, what's gotten into you? What happened to the almost-stereotypical determination and pluck that I know so well. What's wrong, Elena?"

Sure enough, Elena had remained uncharacteristically silent. As if in prayer, she clasped her hands together. "...All right, Ryudo. Kill me! If that will destroy Valmar..." Resolute in her decision, she knelt down before Ryudo, providing an easy target to be struck down.

"What!"

"What's wrong, Ryudo? Do it quickly! I'm a little...scared... So please, make it as painless as you are able."

"Do-don't be STUPID! That's Selene talking, not you!" Confused, Elena looked up to him. Just what had he been planning to do with threatening her life then? Turning around, Ryudo let out a grunt as he crossed his arms. "My job is to get you to the Cathedral. If you want any extras, hire someone else... Just stop your brooding and get to bed!"

Not looking back to her, Ryudo waited till she rose and quietly left. The door leading off to their rooms quietly opened and closed. Only once she was gone did he breath easy again. "Dammit! NOT the right approach, Ryudo. NOT the right approach! ...What the hell is wrong with her? ... Argh." He waved his hands in dismissal in the general direction she had gone.

"You certainly seem to have a way with women," came a taunting voice. Ryudo nearly jumped in surprise, not expecting anyone else to be there at the moment. The Geohound spun around, his hand instinctively reaching for his nearest weapon. But...no one was there. "Try looking up." The voice was certainly amused. Holding back a laugh to himself, Ryudo wanted to smack his forehead for being so silly. He knew that voice by now.

"Having fun up there, Hisashi?" he asked the gold drake as he looked to the rafters. The little creature cocked his head to the side, a grin parting his maw.

"No more than usual."

A question came to Ryudo's lips, but he help it back before more than a syllable could escape. If Hisashi was amused, then he had seen more than enough of what happened with Elena. "Shouldn't you be watching over San or something?" he asked instead, placing his hands behind his head.

Hisashi flicked his tail back and forth for a second. The golden being studied Ryudo, his amber eyes piercing through the darkness of the inn. Despite knowing that Hisashi was a friend, the gaze still began to make Ryudo feel uneasy. The drake waved his paw to dismiss the matter and broke his gaze from Ryudo.

"I think San is quite capable to handle a night on her own. Not as though I have to watch her every second of the day." Spreading his leathery wings, Hisashi glided down from the rafters and landed neatly on Ryudo's shoulder. So accustomed to Skye, the Geohound thought nothing of it. The only odd thing he found, for now, was the tail that coiled lightly around his neck. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Shouldn't you?"

Hisashi gave a light snort, a small puff of smoke drifting from his nostrils. "I do not need as much rest as you might think."

"That reminds me..." Reaching out, Ryudo scratched Hisashis' eyeridge like he had seen San do so many times before. "Are there any other creatures like you out there? I've been to a lot of places, yet I've never seen anything else like you."

The little creature drew his head back pridefully. "Probably one of a kind, these days." Though he seemed smug about it, there was a sadness in his voice.

"How long have you been like that?"

Hisashi shook his head. "For a long, long time. Longer than you could imagine." Being of an endangered species...Ryudo could not imagine what that was like. The drake must have somehow picked up on Ryudo's thoughts, for he added, "At least it's not so boring with San around."

That brought another question to Ryudo. "When did you two meet, anyway?"

A yawn escaped the golden creature. Ryudo suspected it was due to boredom, not sleepiness. "I've been with her since she was but a child." A laugh escaped Hisashi, his body shaking lightly from it. "My, has it been that long already?"

"So...were you the one then Aira called an Old One...or was that San?" Hisashi went completely still at the question. "She wasn't looking at Mareg... That much I realized after." The golden creature remained so still and silent that Ryudo was beginning to wonder if he should have asked that question. As he knew from experience, there were some things that people did not want others to know.

"That I can't say," shrugged Hisashi after a moment. "Never heard that term used around either of us before."

Though not the answer he had exactly wanted, it would suffice...for now. The answer had just been that little too much guarded for his likes; too thought out to make sure nothing more was given away. But, now was not the time to press such matters further.

"Say...what was San like when she was younger?"

Tilting his head to the side, Hisashi stared up at Ryudo. "Now why would you be asking me that? That sounds like something San should answer."

"Bah, nevermind." Ryudo waved his hand to pass the matter aside. The main reason he had asked that question was to change the topic before Hisashi could think too much further on the previous inquiry. Though, had Hisashi actually answered, he would not have minded. Sensing the matter was now over, Hisashi glided from Ryudo's shoulders and hovered before the window. "Maybe now I can get some sleep..." Reaching out, he opened the window for Hisashi. Having been with his own flyer for a few years now, he knew well enough when one wanted to spread his wings.

"Rest well, Geohound," murmured the drake before he took off into the night.

:::

Darkness. That was all there was. Utter darkness. It pressed in on his senses, blocking everything else out. All he was left with was his own thoughts. Though he could not see a thing, the Geohound took a step forward into the unknown. Solid ground. Ryudo let out a heavy sigh of relief. Beginning to carefully walk forward, he tried to look around to find any sense of location.

"Where am I...?" he murmured. His voice had barely reached his own ears. Whatever this darkness was, it was not natural. A sudden yell of surprise escaped the Geohound and he stumbled back.

A large floating eye had appeared before him in unknown.

Bloodshot, it stared at him endlessly. The look it gave sent chills up and down his spine. Never before had he seen such a nightmarish monster, and he was no stranger to various monsters. If this is what the darkness held, he did not want to stay here a second longer.

"Huh! What're you looking at? Stop staring at me!" he shouted out. Turning on his heel, the Geohound took off through the darkness. He only hoped that each step he took would remain on solid ground. As he ran from the unending gaze, more of the fiendish eyeballs appeared around him. Each had its sight fixed solely upon him. They were endless. The darkness was gone, only to be replaced by the sea of eyeballs.

There was no where to go. Each way he turned led down a path of only more nightmares. Defeated, he stopped running. They were everywhere, looking at him...looking into his soul. Panting hard, he sensed something new...that something else was watching him now. Following his hunch, Ryudo turned around and was met by a monstrous eyeball. Easily ten times larger than the first one he saw. Like the others, it stared at him relentlessly. Only with this one, though, could he see his reflection in it.

"Don't..." he grunted out, gripping his head. "This is MY soul, dammit! Stay the HELL out of it!" Against his will, memories he had thought forgotten rose up. They flashed in his mind as clear as though they had happened yesterday. His audience seemed most interested in the memory of his filled with darkness, forcing him to watch it again and again.

"Stop it!" he commanded, falling to his knees helplessly. His mind could not take it anymore. "Please...just stop... Don't make me remember...please... ...I want to forget... Let me forget..." Even begging had no effect. He was at their mercy as long as they had him within their sight. There was no where to go...no way to escape. He felt like he wanted to give up.

"Dammit! Stop making me remember! !" he shouted out one last time. Bolting up, he woke panting hard and with a cold sweat on his brow.

"Ryudo, what's wrong?" questioned Skye as he perched on the bottom post of the bed. "You were moaning..."

"Dammit!" To vent his anger, Ryudo punched his bed. "Why do they keep haunting me? I was almost able to forget..."

"Doesn't sound like a very sweet dream."

"I know!" He scrambled off of his bed, no longer wanting sleep for fear of a reprise of the dream. "That was the...dream they saw!" Running a hand over his face, the Geohound went to the window. It was the same as before at least; Valmar's moon was dormant as usual. Desiring a cool breeze, he opened it...only to have to jump back as something whirred in. An eyeball, akin to those in his dream, with this one having an addition of four probes, lunged at him.

"It was... That THING!" Ryudo shouted in surprise, falling to the floor. The eyeball looked at him, quickly surveyed the room, then back to him before it flew off. "The cause of the nightmares...?" he questioned, rising. "If so, this village's curse... Dammit!"

At that moment, Roan, Mareg and San came running into his room. All three seem to have been woken from their sleeps as he had been.

"Guys! You alright?" asked the Geohound, wondering if they had had a similar experience to him.

"Yes, Ryudo. Are you okay?" question Roan.

The beast-man let out a low growl. "...That cursed dream... What was its purpose?"

"Certainly not a pleasant one," sighed San. She looked paler than usual.

"It's that...thing!" Ryudo pointed out the window, though the fiend was long gone. "It's been causing these damn nightmares!"

The young blond tilted his head. "What do you mean by 'that thing'...?"

Before Ryudo could describe what it had looked like, Elena came in. While the others had looked like they woke in a fright, she seemed calm and still drowsy, if a little confused at all the commotion going on. "Ryudo! What is happening?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Elena! You alright?" Ryudo moved closer to all of them. "Listen, the source of the nightmares was right here!"

"Eyeball. Big flapping eyeball... Just staring at us. I've never seen the like," commented Skye, ruffling his feathers.

"If that was the cause, then the others..." "It cannot be..." gasped the Songstress, covering her mouth with a hand. "Miss Irina..."

"Oh, blazes! Let's check on her! Hurry!"

Scrambling out of the room one at a time, the group headed down the hall to the room that belonged to Irina. She and her son were fast asleep. While most times, that would have been completely normal, the eyeball floating above Irina's head kept it from being so.

"Look!" gasped Roan, pointing to the thing. Detecting it was no longer alone, the eyeball zoomed out of the window.

"Damn, we're too late! It already got her..." cursed Ryudo.

"Ryudo, I'll follow it! Try to keep up!" ordered Skye before he chased after the eyeball. Surely his wings would be enough to chase after the thing.

"Dammit, it's those things! They're behind this! We must follow!" With nothing else they could do for Irina, the companions headed outside. The cool air of the night met them as their eyes had to adjust to the darkness. Unlike Ryudo's dream, at least, this darkness was normal. Much to their dismay, several more of the eyeballs went flying by, all heading in the same direction.

"It can't be..." murmured San in disbelief.

"Ah, I see now the source of our trouble." Mareg crossed his arms, watching the flight of the eyeballs.

"THOSE things are causing all the nightmares?" asked Roan. "Mister Ryudo!"

Grunting in annoyance, Ryudo peered off into the darkness. All of they eyeballs were heading towards the back of the village...where Aira's house was.

"There are so many of them!" breathed out Elena in dismay. How could these creatures have gone on unnoticed by the villagers?

"We have to follow them. Quickly!" ordered Ryudo, already beginning his chase. The others were not far behind. Rushing as fast as his feet would take him, Ryudo was the first to make it to the bridge leading to Aira's house. This had been where the eyes were headed, yet none were in sight.

"Over here!" called out a voice to their right. Through the night, they could see something golden glinting in the distance. When the group neared it, they saw it was Hisashi hovering in the air, Skye next to him. The two flyers were above a path that led up to the mountains.

"Skye! Where'd they go?" questioned Ryudo.

"Into that fissure!" Staring up the path, the group could barely make out the crack in the side of the mountain. His task complete, Skye flew back and resumed his perch on Ryudo's shoulder.

"And we all know what comes next. Let's be quick about it. I want to find out what the hell is going on here!" Frustrated beyond belief, Ryudo climbed the slope to the fissure. Inside was even darker than his dream. "Dammit! Can't see a blasted thing in there!"

"Step back a sec," offered San, placing a hand on his shoulder. Giving a light snort, Ryudo raised an eyebrow to her as he stepped aside.

"And just what do you plan on doing?"

"To shed some light on things," she murmured, holding out her hands. She moved them so that the palms faced each other. Only from experience did Ryudo figure she had cast a spell, for the next thing that he saw could only be of magic. A small blue orb glowed between her hands. Light poured from it like a distant star. With a simple wave of her hands, the orb floated off into the fissure before them, lighting the way. "There, now we're set."

Ryudo muttered a quick thanks before heading on into the fissure. As he moved, so to did the magical orb. It was their silent guardian for now, ever lighting their way. He made a small note in his mind: San sure did seem to like blue.

It was a tight squeeze, especially for Mareg, but the group made it through. It was a dank fissure that seemed to head deeper into the mountain. At least, once past the entrance, it was wide enough for all of them to walk easily through. The blue orb lit up their surroundings plenty, giving the place a cool, icy look in the process.

"Do you think any of the villagers knew of this?" questioned Elena, keeping her arms and hands in close to her body.

"Hard to say," grunted San in answer, her shoulder scraping against the wall. "The fissure could have only opened recently while this may have been here for much longer. I wouldn't be surprised if one or two people had discovered it at some point."

"The earth here is old and slumbers," grumbled Mareg from behind. "It has not felt the passing of mortals in a long time."

"Yeah, but how much do you wanna bet that not too long after this fissure opened that the village's troubles began?"

"Wh-what are you suggesting?" asked Roan before swallowing.

"I stand by my guess at the beginning... I still think Valmar is somehow behind this. And someone, maybe not intentionally, may have helped."

"Well, we won't know for certain until we get to the bottom of what's here," commented Ryudo from the front.

The group delved deeper and deeper into the cave system. They knew that with each step, they were getting closer to the answer to all of this. Even the orb of light had proved to have a second feature to that of illuminating their way: it flared red when a monster was near. Living in the darkness of the caves for so long, the giant insects scurried away for the most part from the light, but those that fought were brought to a swift death.

They had traveled so long in the caves that Ryudo began to wonder if dawn was breaking yet. Eventually, the light of the orb began to fade. It only began to do so, though, when another light source made the orb redundant. What they were in now was no longer the cave, but a vast chamber carved into the stone. In the center of the chamber was an alter...with a blue orb that they had come to recognize too well.

"Isn't this a Seal of Granas!" questioned Ryudo as they walked up to it.

"As I thought, it's been broken," murmured San.

All of them stared at it, the truth finally revealed. No more guesses, no more hunches, their fears had been correct. Something on the ground caught the Songstress' eye. Reaching down, she picked up the flower that had been lying beneath the broken seal. "I have seen this flower before..." She twirled it around once between her fingers. Then, she suddenly dropped it back to the ground, startled. From all around them came the eyeballs they had followed.

"It's those things again! They're coming!" shouted Ryudo before drawing his weapon.

As one, the eyeballs zoomed in to the group. Most of them had to dodge, with only Mareg standing his ground. A loud roar escaped him as he let loose a well-timed swing of his ax. The first of the six eyeballs fell prey to his strike.

"Looks like they don't want us to be here!" shouted out San over the din of the battle. The eyeballs were moving too fast for them to get in a good strike. Even Skye and Hisashi were having a hard time staying ahead of their attackers.

"Gee, whatever gave you THAT idea?" questioned back Ryudo, his words thick with sarcasm. A yell of pain then escaped him as one of the eyeballs' probes sliced through his arm. The grip on his sword grew weak. They were running out of time! With Mareg's strike being their one and only, something had to be done fast. And the weapons they wielded were proving to be of little use as long as the eyeballs stayed out of range.

"Watch out!" shouted San. Ryudo barely had time to look and see what had gotten her attention before he was shoved out of the way. He skidded along the ground along with the other Geohound when a sudden explosion went off where he had just been standing. While one of the eyeballs had attacked him physically, the other four had positioned themselves around where Ryudo had stood. Together they had been able to perform some sort of an attack that had created a small crater in the ground.

"Are you two all right?" asked Roan, sparing a moment to help the Geohounds to their feet.

"Just peachy," grunted Ryudo, gripping his right arm.

"Magic," breathed San.

"What?"

"Magic's out only answer right now!" Raising her sword before her, the very air around them began to crackle with energy. "Everyone! Cast some sort of spell at them at the same time!" she shouted out so that everyone could hear.

None of them wasted a second. Concentrating, each of them readied the first spell that came to mind. For Ryudo, only one type of spell came to mind considering all they had been talking about earlier that day.

"Simmering fire! Cleansing flame!" he shouted out, the air around the seal beginning to grow hot.

"O spears of ice, come to strike!" prayed Elena, the very water in the air around her forming into ice.

"Whipping winds!" exclaimed Roan. The air surrounding him grew violent.

"Earth, heed my call!" rumbled out Mareg, slamming his great ax into the ground.

As San raised her hand, static jumped from finger to finger, the air charged around her. Each of them had readied a spell, and now it was time to release their power. "There's no place to hide from this storm!" she taunted out, pulling her hand into a fist.

A ball of lightning that had formed above the seal exploded with energy. Bolts of the blue lightning shot down to the ground, dealing great damage to any foe. Flames licked up from the ground as the very ground itself tore up to reach and attack the abominable eyeballs. The ice that had begun forming were now great spears that pierced each eye. As the attack persisted, their enemy could not escape, for the winds prevented them from doing so. Even the air was no friend, for it sliced through them sharper than any blade.

With each of the elements at their disposal, the fiends were promptly disposed of. Nothing remained of their enemy once they were through with them. Panting hard, the companions watched as their surroundings returned to their natural state

"So, now the villagers may be..." began Elena, her voice hopeful.

"No," cut off Ryudo, holding his right arm. "These things are small change. Nothing like Gadan. The real money's somewhere else." Expression grim, he stared up at the seal.

"So they were like marionettes?" questioned Roan.

"Perhaps..." grumbled Mareg. "Their powers may be peculiar, but our true enemy would not meet defeat so easily."

"I think they were more like a part of the real foe," thought San aloud.

"It cannot be..." whispered Elena.

"Dammit!" cursed out Ryudo suddenly. "Valmar must be somewhere! If we're not killing the source, we're just killing time."

Weary and tired, the group made their way from the place of the seal. It was a slow process, the place being harder to leave from than it was to enter. Silence prevailed in the time it took to leave the dreary place. The truth of what was really going on did not help with any of their moods. Elena and Roan were concerned for the villagers, Mareg was in deep though, Ryudo was frustrated, and San was unreadable. It had been a long night for all of them. And, by the looks of it, there was still more to come.

"Is this too the work of Valmar?" questioned Mareg once they returned to the inn. The beast-man huffed and crossed his arms. He, Ryudo and San were waiting in the main room, with Elena having gone off to check on Irina and Roan the villagers.

Ryudo cupped his chin in his hand, his wound having been taken care of. "As the Seal of Granas is broken, I am afraid that it is so."

"Like the towns before...those seals have each held a part of Valmar..." murmured San, leaning against one of the chairs. "I wonder what would have happened to Carbo had the Wings been unleashed longer..."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it," sighed San, standing straight. "In Liligue, everyone but the person who was possessed by the Tongue of Valmar lost their sense of taste. Now, I'm gonna make a wild guess and say that the piece of Valmar here has to deal with eyes. They gaze into people's souls and make them see whatever they want to see."

"So...you're saying that the person possessed by Valmar here can see? That...doesn't really narrow it down, San."

For a split moment, she looked to Ryudo with one of the most serious looks he had seen on her to date. Before anyone else could read into it, she scoffed lightly and shook her head, leaning back against the chair. "Yeah, guess you're right..."

If anyone else was to say anything, their chance had passed for Elena then walked in. The Songstress was sombre as she headed towards the group. "Elena, how's Irina doing?"

"Not well..." she answered solemnly. "She will not wake at all. Just like Nicolas." Heads then turned as Roan came in from outside.

"Roan! How are the villagers?"

The young blond shook his head. "A few more people fell ill last night. And everyone who did not fall ill, they had nightmares again."

"They're not the only ones," shuddered Ryudo. "I've been having nightmares of my...the past. It's...not too cool, man. Not at all." Casting his eyes down, he remembered once more the dreams and the part of the past he had seen. A chill ran down his spine at the thought.

"I had one too," added Roan sadly. "I saw my mother...die..."

"I've seen some pretty horrible things in my life...none of which I wanted to remember... But, thanks to being here..." San did not finish.

"I dreamt of my village, of the demon-man who came in blood and fire... I dreamt of ruin..." grumbled Mareg, his deep voice unable to hide the sorrow he felt.

Elena looked to all of them in surprise. "I slept soundly. Last night, I dreamt not at all..."

"There must be someone possessed by Valmar," voiced Roan. "The one controlling the flying eyeballs. Do you think it's...Aira?"

"The one person here who could not see...and now can..." muttered San. Ryudo glanced to her. Surely, this had been what she meant by earlier.

"That cannot be!" protested Elena. "She is such an innocent girl. Right? Only the hearts of the wicked are open to Valmar! That girl has done nothing wrong!" Before anyone could argue further, one of the villagers entered into the inn breathless.

"The High Priestess Selene is conducting an investigation, so she has ordered everyone to meet in the Town Hall..." informed the villager.

"We ought to inform the High Priestess of the events of yesterday! The villain is not of this village―not even a person! Let's go, everyone!"

"Yeah, before Selene decides to frame someone," agreed Ryudo, his distaste for religion rising. Grabbing their gear, the group headed for the Town Hall. The village was even quieter than when they first arrived in Mirumu. It was all very unsettling. For one thing to cause this much trouble to a town...it was despicable.

Before they even made it to the Town Hall, they met the Village Chief. He was walking around outside, rather nervously. When they caught his attention, a look of hope flashed in his eyes for a second before the weight of what was going on smothered it out. "Please have a look inside the Town Hall..." Holding out his hand, the Village Chief guided them all into the Town Hall. "See... There are many more victims now..."

"Last night, the fallen villagers were in the Town Hall, right? And they were all asleep, correct?" questioned Ryudo.

The Village Chief gave a heavy sigh. "Yes... That's right... How has this happened? How could something this awful happen here?"

"Oh dear..." whispered Elena as they saw all people who were now in the Town Hall. "What should we do?"

"Didn't take them long to round up the town," commented Ryudo.

"How awful..." Just when they thought things could not have gotten any worse, Selene walked in. She surveyed the room, her expression not changing.

"Such a pitiful sight," she _tsk_ed. "We must attend to the purification immediately. We will find the bedeviled one without delay."

Angered, Ryudo took a step towards her and raised a fist. "You're sniffing up the wrong leg, Priestess! We saw the Darkness last night! Flying eyeballs! They should be dealt with first!"

The Priestess eyed Ryudo with contempt. "Flying eyeballs, you say? How droll. Yet, the things you saw may indeed have been the servants of Valmar."

"Yes!" agreed Elena, jumping in quickly. "And we must search them out!"

Selene's gaze then switched to the Songstress, putting her in the same light as the Geohound. "...However, they are merely servants. I doubt Valmar would appear in such a form or fashion, hmm? Chasing after such...whimsical beasts would not solve our problem. Valmar seizes upon the Darkness the heart, not the...eye."

A grunt of frustration escaped Ryudo as he ran a hand over his face. "Are you even listening to a thing we say? Or are you too eager to 'purify' the entire town? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"If you don't eradicate the problem at the source, things will only get worse!" added San in anger.

"I beg of you, High Priestess! Save these villagers!" pleaded Elena.

"Oh yes, they shall be saved," nodded Selene. The look and tone of her voice made the words anything but comforting to the group. "You see, there is one with a corrupt soul who has brought disaster to this village. What would happen if we to permit Valmar to roam freely about the land? Could you imagine this, Elena?"

Caught aback, Elena gathered herself and cast her gaze down. "Yes..."

"Well then, I shall have the cooperation of everyone in the village." Selene's mind was set. There was no chance for them to change her mind. Angered beyond belief, Ryudo glared at the Priestess. She merely eyed him back, looking down her nose at him. "I shall discover the identity of the treacherous one. Then we need not purify the entire village." With a wave of her arm, she turned and left the Town Hall. Eager for her results, the Village Chief bowed in farewell to the companions before chasing after Selene.

"Ryudo! We cannot let her proceed! You know how this will end!" begged Elena, venting out some of her own anger.

"I know. I know." Ryudo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "But we have to find out who―or what―is controlling those eyeballs. I mean, that's just sick...to make people relive their worst memories..."

"But where do you think those eyeballs come from?" asked Roan.

"I advise a deeper hunt into the fissure. It could be our quarry waits there," answered Mareg.

"Makes sense," agreed San. "We found the Tongue of Valmar deeper into the Granacliffs than the seal was. Could be the same story here."

"Then there is where we resume our pursuit," decided Ryudo.

With one last look at the villagers that had fallen, the group left the Town Hall and headed back towards the end of the village. If Selene was not going to listen to them, then once again, matters had to be taken into their own hands. They had barely passed the bridge over the stream when a voice called out to them.

"Miss!" Running from her house, Aira headed straight for the group. Elena was the first to turn and greet her, despite the doubts that were now in her mind.

"H-hello, little Aira..." she greeted back, trying to smile.

"Did you come to see me? Did you want to play?" Reaching out, the young girl took one of Elena's hands.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's go to a fun place. To a place where there's no suffering and no pain...no bad memories."

Kneeling down, the Songstress looked at Aira straight in the eye. "Aira, should you be out? Will your mother not worry?"

The young girl waved the matter away. "Oh, it's fine. We're going to a happy place, after all!" She tugged once on Elena's hand before running off behind her house. When she reached its corner, she looked back to the group and waved before slipping out of sight.

"That Aira..." began Roan as the group headed to where Elena stood. "There is something a little odd about her."

"I wonder what it was she meant?" mused the Songstress. "One way to find out," sighed Ryudo as he scratched the back of his head. "Let's follow her." With the course of action decided upon, the group headed off towards the back of the house. A shed was hidden behind it, and rather rickety one at that. With the door open, and Aira no where in sight, they had no choice but to go in.

"My mother had a hard time because of me," explained Aira as they entered. "She would buy medicine and look for herbs, working from dawn until dusk... It's all my fault... But my mother's praying healed me!" Abruptly, she stopped and dropped down a hole int the floor.

"Aira!" shrieked out Elena in surprise. Quickly, the group rushed over to the hole and looked down. Whatever may have been down there was easily hidden in the complete darkness of the pit.

"Aira?" called out San into the darkness. There was no response. There was not even an echo of her voice. Each of them looked to each other with confused glances. "Time to jump," the blue-haired Geohound murmured before hopping in after the young girl, Hisashi flying in after her. Ryudo was the first to shrug before steeling himself and jumping in after the three. Aira had shown no look of surprise after all when she fell, so surely it was safe. At least, that is what he hoped.

Ryudo closed his eyes tight and hoped for a survivable landing. He wondered how far one could fall before dealing serious damage to oneself. Perhaps...this jump would show him the consequences of being reckless. Then again, if it did, not like he would be able to learn from it. It felt like his teeth rattled as his feet hit solid ground...but not completely. Having landing on the edge of something, he began to teeter back. He waved his arms frantically to gain his balance, not knowing what was beneath him if he fell.

Something grabbed his arm and kept him from tumbling over the edge. Heart racing a mile a minute, the brunet blinked and looked to San. She shot him a wry smile before helping to steady him. Ryudo did not even have a moment to say his thanks before she pulled him with her, the two of them jumping off the small island and onto the main land.

They had not moved a moment too soon either, for just then Mareg landed on the small island. The beast-man having had much better footing than Ryudo made quick work of the jump over the water to the main land, leaving room for Roan and then Elena to follow.

"Where are we!" questioned Ryudo, looking up.

"I didn't want to believe it," murmured San.

"I cannot believe this..." gasped Elena as they all followed the gazes of the Geohounds. They were in the chamber they had been in the night before, their battle marks still fresh. The Seal of Granas glowed brightly, no further damage having touched it. Beneath it, though, stood Aira, the young girl looking up to it.

"I don't think people should fight. Everyone just suffers," she began, her gaze switching to the group. "We can learn to like each other. Why do they always blame other people? Nobody wants to be hated... I'll make it so everybody can get along! I wanna help everyone!"

Hands clasped together, Elena walked forward. She, most of all, did not want this to be true. Once again, she knelt down before Aira. "So―so Aira, you..."

The smile that she gave cut the Songstress off. "It is a really nice place. I'm gonna have everyone come to the Garden of Dreams. No one will fight. Everyone will live together peacefully. They'll forget all the bad things. C'mon! Let's all go into dream!" She raised her arms and before anyone could protest, they felt the air around them pulse with magic.

One second they were in the dank caverns of the fissure, and the next they were in the mist-filled garden. The air was cold, and, despite the abundance of flowers, there was no smell of them. It was as lifeless as when they were first in the Garden of Dreams. Nothing had changed.

"When I was cured, I was so happy..." Walking away from them, Aira held her hands behind her back as she explained. "But I was also sad 'cause I could see things I couldn't before. My mother also wanted to get along with the villagers, but everyone lies and hates each other. They keep blaming others for bad things. Everyone suffers in their heart... I want everyone to come here and get along." A laugh escaped her as she held out her hands to indicate the entire area. "This is the Garden of Happiness. Everyone who comes here is happy. They forget the bad and suffering. The people all become fairies. And they live happily here. Look," she paused a moment as several glowing fairies danced around her. The companions looked around in surprise to see how many there now were. They all floated about, like there was not a care in the world. Aira laughed again as several landed on her. "See how many fairies there are now... Isn't everyone happy?"

"Stop it!" shrieked out Elena, taking a stand. The fairies all scattered at her her outburst.

Confused, Aira looked up to the Songstress. Not even the fairies around her had stayed. "Why?"

Taking a deep breath, Elena took a step forward, returning to her normally calm demeanor. "You are not doing anything wrong, but...but..."

What caused it, no one knew, but for some reason, Aira's head glinted in the light. Smiling, she brushed some of her bangs to the side for they were in her vision. Everyone suddenly gasped.

Embedded in Aira's forehead was a third eyeball akin to the ones they had fought.

"I just want to make everyone happy..."

"...That eye..." whispered Elena, taking a step back. Back on San's shoulder, Hisashi let out a low hiss. Such evil was coming from that eye.

"This is the eye that Granas gave me. It's how I can see everything," explained Aira simply, a smile still on her face.

"NO! Stop it!" Elena shook her head frantically. "Do not make them suffer any more!"

Blinking, Aira looked to Elena in confusion. The eye on her forehead had other thoughts though, for it swiveled around, taking turns to look at the others. Each of them grew nervous under its surveillance. "Suffer?" asked the young girl. "I don't make anyone suffer. Everyone here is happy. There's no sadness here. Outside, everyone lies, so they suffer. They pretend to be nice but they act mean. The only one I can trust...is mother."

The pupil of the eye on Aira's forehead dilated for a second. Whatever had caused it, Aira suddenly went tense. Gasping, she shook her head. "Huh? Why're you doing this?" she asked, taking a step back. The others stared at her in confusion, for they had done nothing. "...Why're all of you coming after me?" her voice rose as she took another step back, clenching her hands to fists. "Isn't this the eye of Granas? Well, isn't it? Aren't you the same as me? Miss Elena?"

Rushing forward, Elena did all she could for now and hugged the young girl. She shook as she began to cry softly. "...No. NO!" she choked out. This was a horrible enough punishment for the evil souls that deserved it, to have a young girl like Aira be possessed...she did not want to believe it. Then, the Songstress was roughly pushed back by the young girl. "Aira...?"

"Mother!" she cried out before running off. Before they could even chase after her, Aira faded into the mist.

"Aira?"

"Something might be going down at the village. We've got to go back," explained Ryudo, stepping forward. The others nodded before rushing off towards where they had first been when they came to the Garden of Dreams the first time.

"That eye..." whispered Elena, standing still a moment longer. The Songstress gasped lightly in surprise and looked up to see San beside her. The Geohound had placed a comforting hand on Elena's shoulder.

"It's not Aira's fault..." she muttered solemnly. The blue-haired women met gazes with Elena until the Songstress nodded. "Come on." Tossing her head, the Geohound moved quick to catch up to Ryudo and the others. A sigh escaped the Songstress before she too hurried to catch up.

:::

Back in Mirumu, Selene advanced towards Sandra, the Cathedral Knights flanking her. On the ground, Sandra stared up at the Priestess in shock. She was slowly trying to pull herself back from the members of the Cathedral. Every villagers that had not fallen ill was gathered on the side of the bridge closer to Sandra's house. They wanted to see justice for what had befallen their village.

"...I don't know anything!" explained Sandra, fear in her eyes and voice. "My daughter was miraculously cured by the power of Granas! I prayed and prayed for her. Leave her out of this!"

Selene looked down upon Sandra, a sneer begging to break out. "The blessings of Granas are not to be on the likes of you. Where is your daughter? Speak truly, for the both of you are surely minions of Valmar!"

"No, no that cannot be..."

"Well, well..." Selene smirked and looked back to the villagers, holding out her arms. "What shall we do with a mother and child who conspire with the power of Darkness? Will you people side with Darkness? Know that if you heed the words of the witch, you must be prepared for the...consequences."

Murmurs ran through the villagers as they began to talk between themselves. Then, a single voice rose up above the rest. "Y-you Devil! You evil Witch! Just what are you trying to do! Release the curse on this village, quickly! What is the grudge you bear!" The light murmurs turned to shouts of anger and hate towards Sandra. Even those she had once called friends had turned their backs on her.

Nearly completely broken down by defeat, Sandra reached out and grabbed the hem of Selene's robes. "What is it we have done!" she questioned, tears forming in her eyes. "My daughter and I have done nothing!"

A look of disgust crossed Selene's face as she looked down to the mother. "Release me!" Without any hesitation or room for thought, the Priestess slapped Sandra across the face. A cry of pain escaped her as she was sent to the ground by the force of the blow and the shock of it.

"Mother!" cried out Aira, running forward. "Leave my mother alone!" she shouted at everyone. "Why can't we all be happy! If you do mean things, everyone suffers!"

Selene's eyes went wide as she stared at Aira. A look akin to that of hunger crossed her face for a moment before she masked it. "That evil eye! I see we HAVE discovered the power of Valmar!"Raising a hand, she singled for her guards to advance upon Aira.

At that moment, Ryudo and the others burst into the village, the Cathedral Knights no longer guarding the entrance. Not pausing a moment, they continued on running until they reached Sanra's house. Panting hard, Ryudo stopped for a moment at the top of the bridge, seeing someone lying prone on the ground.

"Who's that! What the hell is happening here?" he questioned, running forward and realizing it was Sandra.

"You can no longer escape..." came a voice not too far away. Looking over, they saw Selene, her Knights and the villagers gathered around Aira like a crazed group. Selene and the Cathedral Knights continued to advance upon the young girl.

"Aira!" called out Elena, rushing towards the commotion.

"You take care of her!" commanded Ryudo before he and San chased after the Songstress. They had to force their way through the crowd, to much protest, but the three of them made their way to Aira's side. San drew her blade, while Elena wrapped her arms protectively around the young girl. Ryudo stood before them all and held out his arms wide to stop the advance.

"What the hell are you doing? How many of you does it take to handle a single girl? Leave her be!" he shouted at them, hoping, for some slight chance, that they would hear his words.

Selene glared at Ryudo. It was a subtle glare, but he had seen enough in his days to know what it was. "Do not interfere with my task," she snapped back, "or are you too in collusion with Darkness?"

"This girl doesn't even know what's happening," he shouted back. "Look at her! A servant of Light should be extending a hand of redemption, not raising an iron fist!"

"You're as bad as the followers of Valmar if you don't help those that need it!" added San, her anger equal to Ryudo's.

"Don't be a fool, boy! We merely follow the will of Granas―to cleanse the world of Darkness..." Fed up with the Geohounds, Selene looked to the Songstress and held out her hand. "Elena! Come, bring the girl to me."

Shaking her head, Elena gave the Priestess a pleading look as she walked to the Geohounds' sides. "Please, High Priestess Selene. There must be some other way we can save her! There must be..."

"Impossible," interrupted Selene. "There is no salvation for one possessed by Valmar. I cannot believe a Sister of the Church would try to protect one who has rejected the Light and embraced the Darkness!"

"I-I..." stuttered Elena. She stopped when San placed a hand on her shoulder again.

"Don't listen to her!" Ryudo ordered back at her. "Dammit, Elena, you're better than that! There's no wrong in protecting the helpless!" Rounding back on the Priestess, he walked right up to her and raised a fist to her. "And if Granas has a problem with that, you can tell heaven that your god will find no protection from me!"

"Ryudo..."

Grunting in frustration, Ryudo stepped to the side and looked to the villagers. "And what about you people? Is this child a sinner? Both mother and child have lived among you! Do you truly wish to damn them both?"

"Mother!" cried out Aira. Back from the front of the house, Sandra came stumbling forward. Mareg and Roan rushed to offer her help, but she brushed them off, wanting to do this on her own. When she neared, and her gaze fell upon Aira, she stared in horror.

"Ah, Aira! But...that eye!" she gasped out, raising a hand to her mouth. "You are a..."

"A monster..." finished Aira, hanging her head. "You called me...a monster!" Shaking her head, a sob escaped the young girl. Tears beaded in her eyes as she looked back up to her mother, now angered. "Even my own mother!"

"Aira! Please! Be calm! Your mother is just a little...shocked!" voiced Elena, turning her attention back to Aira. Quickly, the Songstress returned to the young girl's side and placed her hands on her shoulders.

"Am I...am I a monster?" she questioned. Shaking her head, she gripped her head and howled, "NOOOOoooo! Let go of me! Leave me alone, all of you! Leave me ALONE!" In a burst of light, Aira vanished without a trace. Being closest to her, Elena was now lying prone on the ground.

"Elena!" shouted out San, rushing to her side.

"What has happened?" demanded Selene, keeping Ryudo from doing something similar. "You!" she said heatedly, pointing an accusing finger to Ryudo. "If you had not interfered, Darkness would not still plague the land. This is on YOUR heads!" Anger plain on her face, she turned back to her knights and held out a hand. "Separate and search the area. Do not let the demon-child escape!" Her order complete, the Cathedral Knights left do do her wishes. Coolly, the Priestess looked over her shoulder to the Geohound. "...Ryudo, I believe. I shall not forget what you have done here today." Finished with them, Selene walked off in a huff. The villagers dispersed not long after. Cursing under his breath, Ryudo rushed over to where Elena was.

"Hey, Elena, snap out of it... HEY!" he shouted out, snapping his fingers. He and San then fell back as a bright light engulfed the Songstress. When they could see again, they were met by someone neither of them wanted to see.

"Oh drat! Ouch, ouch, ouch," whined out Millenia, rising angered. "That eyeball really let me have it." A frustrated sigh escaped her as she dusted off her clothing.

"What...what have I done to Aira?" breathed out Sandra, falling to her knees.

Blinking, Millenia looked back to Sandra. "Huh?"

"It is my fault... Everything is my fault." Shaking her head, the green-haired woman cast her gaze down.

"What's the matter?"

"I thought something was wrong when she said she took Nicolas to the Garden of Dreams. It was there she discovered the ability to know what others were thinking and feeling. But not only is she able to do this, she also see what others are doing and where they are. Even I grew afraid... ...I pitied Aira!... I wanted to do something for her! But how could I have known...Valmar was listening to my prayers... Oh where did I go wrong?"

"You have done no wrong..." voiced Roan, holding out a hand to help her up. "Any parent would have done the same." She stared at his hand and then to him, shaking her head slowly.

"There is no fault in caring for your own," voiced Mareg. "It is Valmar who bears the onus of these events."

Sandra looked from them and then to Ryudo. He saw then that she had given up all hope. "Please...kill her," she begged of him.

Ryudo raised an eyebrow. "...Are you nuts?" he asked, taking a step forward.

"She is beyond hope already... So please, kill her...before she causes anyone more grief..."

Grunting in anger, Ryudo clenched a fist. "Don't be a FOOL! We weren't protecting her before just so we could kill her now. Do what you will, but I'm not planning on giving up anytime soon. I'll find a way to save her― with you, or without."

"I know," voiced Millena, smiling. "How about we rip that EYE right out of her? Sound good?" She giggled and tilted her head to the side.

Sighing, Ryudo looked back to her. As much as he did not like it, she was providing another option... "...Millenia. Are you sure you can remove the Eye of Valmar from her?"

"Sure, I can! Of course, Aira's soul will shatter and fade. So it goes."

The Geohound gritted his teeth and glared at her. "Millenia!" Letting out a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair. "Dammit! There must be another way..."

"I am completely to blame for her suffering," admitted Sandra, hanging her head. "If there is no way to save her, then please, put her out of her misery..."

"Yeah, yeah, that sounds lovely," yawned Millenia. Clapping her hands together, she looked to the Geohound. "You heard the lady―let's just finish this up and move on."

"You." Ryudo pointed a finger at Millena. "I don't want to hear it. Of course, what should I expect from Valmar? Obviously not a concern for human life."

"What!" Millenia placed a hand on her hip. "But this doesn't concern us, Ryudo. The one who should do something is the girl's mother, right? And she's given up! End of story!"

Opening his mouth, Ryudo tried to retort with something, but he could think of nothing. Sighing, he lowered his hand. There was no hope at all left in Sandra...and hope was beginning to dwindle in him as well.

"Look, I don't blame you, Ryudo," continued the redhead. "It's perfectly natural for people to want to run from reality. They just can't face life. But we don't have the time to run along after you. Stop chasing after your silly nonsense. There's no other way to do this."

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" he roared at her. He had been pushed to his limits. "That little girl is suffering right now―scared and alone! You ever suffered alone, Millenia? All she ever wanted was to bring a little happiness into the world. Is THIS what she deserves?" Taking a breath, he looked back to Sandra. "You're mother, but you want me to 'put her out of her misery'? Ma'am, we do that to our pets, not our children! She wanted everyone to be happy. What the hell is wrong with that?"

Silence followed, no one able to say anything after that. A whirring noise was heard and something sped by. Another...and another. Looking up, they saw the familiar eyeballs flying over the village.

"Look, it's started. She's suffering..." commented Millenia.

"We don't have much time!" voiced San, looking to the other Geohound.

"Dammit!" cursed Ryudo. "We've wasted enough time! We've got to find her before Selene does. Let's try that Garden!"


	9. The Eye Of Valmar

**A/N**: I'd just like to take this moment to thank those of you who are reading this story, and especially to Ze Tobi-chan and Haku-BlackRose for taking the time to write reviews. Thank you very much. Just knowing that people are reading, and enjoying, this story makes me want to write it that much more. I simply love Grandia 2, and it brings me such joy that people who do too like this fan fic (especially when there is a smaller fan-base for this compared to something like Final Fantasy or Legend of Zelda). I hope that you all continue to read and enjoy the story as it progresses. Thank you again. Now, on with the story!

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IX

_The Eye of Valmar_

The air was as lifeless as it had been the other times they visited the Garden of Dreams. Colours rippled across the flowers as the wind blew, but that did not change the feel of the place. Fog continued to roll through the land, only adding to the eeriness of the clearing. Though not a large garden, the five of them split off to search for Aira, making sure to check everywhere for the little girl. Ryudo was the first to reach the lone tree. Placing a hand on its bark, a chill ran down his spine. Not even the tree held any life in it. A place like this...so devoid of life...it should not exist. Pushing those thoughts from his mind, the Geohound searched around the tree, and looked across the entire garden. The little girl was no where in sight.

"If she's not here, then..." he began as the others returned to his side with no luck in finding her. "Where else do we look?"

Tapping her hand to her chin, Millenia walked a few steps away, as if studying something. "Uh-uh, she's here. Just wait a little." Ryudo crossed his arms and stared at the redhead. Having to rely on a piece of Valmar for this did not sit well with him. Clapping her hands together, Millenia let out a light cheer. Whatever it was she was looking for, she seemed to have found it. As she closed her eyes, she made a wide sweeping gesture with her arm. A portal of swirling dark energy appeared beneath where she indicated. Content, she dusted her hands and looked over to the other four. "C'mon, she's in there. Let's go, Ryudo."

The Geohound walked up to the edge of the dark portal and peered down it. "We have to go down _that_ thing?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at the redhead.

"If you wanna help Aira, you bet."

A groan escaped Ryudo as he ran a hand down his face. While looking at the portal, he got a foreboding feeling. Whether it was from the portal itself, or what they would have to face beyond, he could not tell. "All right. Let's get this done with," he grunted out before leaping into the unknown. The others were quick to follow, despite any doubts they might have had.

Ryudo stumbled forward once his feet were back on solid ground. Making sure to get out of the way, the Geohound made room for the rest of his companions as they appeared behind him. A groan escaped him when he took a look at their surroundings, realizing where they were once again.

"Everything sure seems to be tied to this place," murmured San as she walked forward past the other Geohound. Raising a hand, she placed it on the underside of the broken Seal of Granas. "To think that the darkness was held back for so long...only to be unleashed now."

"And those who are innocent are becoming the victims," murmured Roan, his shoulder drooping.

Taking the lead, Millenia walked up to a mysterious portal that rested at the edge of the platform. While the one they had just traveled through was more like a vortex in the ground, this one was more like a dark gateway. Clouds of darkness flowed from the center of it.

"Look, here it is," she pointed out, gesturing towards it. The others gathered by her side and stared into the dark abyss.

Ryudo raised an eyebrow as he placed a hand on his hip. "Here...? What _is_ this place? Where's Aira?" A frown forming across his face, he switched glances between Millenia and the portal behind her.

"This is the entrance...into her soul." Slowly, the redhead reached out and touched the surface of the portal. It shimmered beneath her hand for a moment. Just as it was beginning to seem as though it was pulling her in, Millena took her hand away.

"When did this get so metaphysical?"

"She's escaped within herself. Probably hugging her knees right now..." With a sigh, she turned around and faced her other companions. "Once we enter the world within her soul, we won't be able to get out until we...settle this. You ready?"

"Let's rock."

A grin parted Millenia's lips as she gave a quick cheer. "Right on! Time for a little soul-searching of our own!" Giggling, she jumped backwards into the portal and vanished.

"Millenia!" shouted out the group in surprise at her sudden disappearance.

"Man, she is like the complete opposite of Elena," sighed out Ryudo as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I wouldn't say _complete_ opposite, but sure different enough," commented San before she walked up to the portal. Not stopping a second, she walked straight on in and was consumed by the darkness. Like Millenia before her, San, too, vanished.

"I still wonder just what Millenia is," remarked Roan as he stepped forward. "For being a part of Valmar, she sure does help us a fair bit." Before anyone could say a word in response to the young blond, he jumped through the portal to join those that had already passed through.

A deep grumbling noise escaped Mareg as he stopped inches away from the portal. "Only once we find her true motive can we then say whether or not Millenia is helping us," rumbled the beast-man. At first glance, Mareg seemed like he would be too big to fit through the portal. But, just like everyone else, he slipped through as well.

"Yeah, well, nothing we can do about that now," muttered Ryudo as he crossed his arms. Opening his eyes, he looked around. "Hey!" he blurted out once he realized no one else was there with him. Not even Skye or Hisashi had remained on his side of the portal. Scoffing under his breath, the Geohound was quick to hurry through the portal before the others began to wonder what was taking him so long.

A chill clung to his skin as soon as he appeared on the other side. Much like the garden they had been in moments ago, there appeared to be no life in this place. Ryudo shivered lightly, but not from the cold, but rather from the idea that Aira's soul was so barren.

"Slowpoke," muttered Skye as he passed in front of Ryudo. The Geohound let out a huff in annoyance as he left the ruins he appeared in to join the others. A noise of surprise quickly escaped him before he had even taken two feet.

"What's wrong?" asked Roan as he looked back. The rest who were around him also focused their attention back on Ryudo after his sudden outburst.

"What are we walking on? There's no ground!" exclaimed Ryudo. Clouds of fog rolled by, completely obscuring their view of what was beneath their feet like a thick soup. However, when a gap appeared in the fog, they could see what was beneath...which was nothing. There was no ground beneath them. Through the gaps, there was only feet of air before more fog rolled on below. How far down it went like that, none of them could tell.

"It would appear that we cannot rely on our sight alone in this place," grumbled Mareg as he crossed his arms. "We must come to trust our other senses as well."

"Yeah, well, let's just get this over with as quickly as possible, okay?" Ryudo ran his hands through his hair as he tentatively began to walk forward. It was rather unnerving to cross this scenery. Each step felt like it did not belong. With the fog interfering, none of them could be certain whether or not their next step would be their last. "I'd like to get back on normal ground as soon as possible."

Swallowing any discomfort he might have had, Ryudo pressed forward. Mareg was right, they would just have to trust their other senses. As long as he felt something solid beneath his feet, he knew they would be all right.

"This place really is weird," commented Millenia as they traveled further and further into Aira's soul. Monsters creeped around, appearing and disappearing before their eyes. Ruins also littered the fog-covered land.

"It doesn't seem like Aira at all." Roan's expression fell as he thought about it. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Actually, I thought it quite fitting for Aira," commented San as she shifted her cloak about her.

"It...is?"

"Think about it. Blind for most of her life, she couldn't see the world. She couldn't see colour, or how things looked. All she could do...was rely on what she felt to get around." Sighing, she placed her hands behind her head as she continued to walk on. "Besides, are we really ones to judge? It's not every day you get to see inside someone's soul, metaphorically or literally. Who's to say any of ours would be better? I for one wouldn't want to see what mine looked like."

"San is right," agreed Mareg. "We are not fit to pass judgment on this place."

"Man, sorry I brought this up," sighed Millenia as she threw up her arms in defeat. "You guys take things way to seriously."

Silence fell between their group as they continued on their precarious journey through Aira's soul. It proved to be most dangerous as they crossed the walkways between the islands of fog that would disappear and reappear before their very eyes. When they could not see it, they had no idea where was safe...and where would lead to the bottomless fog beneath them. Though now taking longer than they had originally planned for, the group made it to what seemed like the edge of the fog.

Peering out across the land, Ryudo studied the change in scenery. "Well, at least there's solid-looking ground over there. Though I don't know which freaks me out more for being part of Aira's soul: here or there," he remarked, pointing out to the land in the distance.

While where they were was disturbing enough on its own, seeing that there was yet another place that looked worse off...they did not know what to make of it. The land beyond was parched-dry red clay. It looked as though all the fog that should have been there was blown away and the ground had been stained with blood. Whether it was worse or not, they all knew they had to continue on.

"How will we get over there?" asked Roan as he looked around for some sort of way to cross. He pouted slightly when he saw that there was no clear way across.

Millenia suddenly snapped her fingers. "Ring the bell for help?" Giggling, she pointed up to something above them. Confused, the others looked up to where she had pointed to and saw the large bell hanging above them. Before anyone could say anything, the redhead cast a quick spell at it to make the bell ring. It rang unnaturally loud, causing the fog around them to disperse a little.

As the sound from it began to fade away, a giant blue whale rose up from beneath the fog and stopped before them. The group could not help but stare at in confusion. The whale...it was not normal-looking at all. While its body seemed like a regular whale, its fins had feathers growing on them like wings, and there were crystals protruding from its back.

"Are we meant to get on that thing?" questioned Ryudo as he backed up in surprise.

"We do not seem to have a choice in the matter if we wish to proceed further in this place," answered Mareg before he stepped forward. The whale waited patiently before them, not moving from what had to be some sort of docking spot for it. Reaching the edge of the fog, the beast-man leapt forward and landed on the whale. The others were a little more hesitant in being so trusting in the strange creature.

"So...explain to me just how this is normal for a little blind girl?" smirked Ryudo as he glanced back at San.

It looked as though someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over the blue-haired Geohound. Her shoulders drooping, San ran a hand over her face as Millenia and Roan joined Mareg on the back of the whale. "Yeah... I'm not touching this with a ten-foot pole." Ryudo barked out a quick laugh before he took a running jump to the whale. He stumbled as he landed, but was otherwise safe. Only once San joined them did the whale depart, as though it knew they were all ready.

With no way to control where the whale went, the group had to trust it knew where to take them. Smoothly, the whale glided through the air as though it had traveled along this route many times before. Within moments, the creature came to a stop by another bell that rested on the dead lands. When it came to a full halt, Ryudo and the others jumped off the whale.

"Thank you!" called out Roan as he waved goodbye to the blue creature. The whale sang as it glided away from them.

"Well, safe to say we won't see anything like THAT again," commented Ryudo as he shifted his headset.

A wry laugh escaped San as they continued on through Aira's soul. "Don't place any bets, Ryudo. We're not done in here yet."

Dry dust clouded about their feet disturbed the ground. Unlike the fog land before them, there was not too much they could do on this dead cliff. Off at the other end of the cliff was an odd alter-like structure with a giant orb resting on it. When they reached the base of the alter, all of them stared up at it.

"Lemme guess, we gotta go in that thing to continue on," sighed Ryudo as he walked up to the edge of the transparent sphere.

"Bingo!" grinned Millenia as she pushed Ryudo forward. Startled, the Geohound tumbled forward into the sphere and disappeared in a flash of light. Roan, San and Mareg made noises in surprise. Cursing under her breath, the blue-haired Geohound was quick to jump into the sphere next, the others not far behind.

"Okay, if the other areas were weird and disturbing, then how do you describe_ this_?" questioned Ryudo once the others had joined him in the new area of Aira's soul...if this place could even be considered part of her soul.

"Poor Aira," murmured Roan. Behind him, Mareg snarled lightly as though he smelled something unpleasant.

"Man, this girl has issues!" exclaimed Millenia. None of them there could disagree. While the previous areas had been unnerving at best to see inside a young child's soul, this was downright stomach-churning and perverse.

Rivers of blood flowed from giant eyeballs that were imbedded on the side of mounds. One wrong step here and there would be no return. It was worse than any of the recent nightmares they had had while staying in Mirumu. Ryudo grimaced as he soaked in the landscape. The image of it would not be leaving his mind any time soon.

"This must be the part of her soul Valmar has taken over," mused San as they wearily made their way in. "Eyes that can see into a person's very being..." She shivered slightly. "Let's hurry up and be done with this place!"

To show their agreement, the group of companions hurried on through the perverse land. Monsters that seeped out poison dotted this area of Aira's—no, Valmar's—soul. The time they spent in the blood-covered land was longer than that of the two previous areas. At long last, the companions reached the end of the road. There was no place else to go save for the giant floating eyeball that had risen up out of the blood before them. Without saying a word, Ryudo led them into the chamber where they hoped Aira resided.

All was dark inside save for a ring of light. Fog swirled about, that closest to the light being illuminated in an eery blue. At the center of the ring of light stood Aira. The little girl looked up as Ryudo and the others walked towards her.

The green-haired girl's hands clenched to fists once the companions had drawn close enough. "Why don't you just leave me alone? I didn't do anything wrong... Why does everybody hate me?" Her voice shook with tears that threatened to roll down her face.

Stepping forward, Ryudo placed a hand on his hip and sighed. "I know... Believe me, kid, I know..." Kneeling down to be closer to her eye level, the Geohound held out a helping hand. "Come, we'll take you to your mother."

Aira stared at his hand wishfully. For a brief moment, she seemed almost willing to accept his offer, but that moment did not last. The eye on her forehead glinted and she quickly recoiled as if Ryudo's offer now offended her. "You're lying. I know it. You're afraid of me too." Her eyes grew wide in fear as the intent of those around her became clear. "The girl with wings...just wants to eat me!" she shouted out as she clutched at her head. Aiar's gaze switched from Millenia to the other female in the group. "And the Old One...just wants to destroy what she helped to create!"

Falling to her knees, Aira shook her head as tears began to fall freely. "It must be a lie..." she sobbed out. Collecting herself, the young girl rose back up and glared at Ryudo. "Even my own mother asked you to kill me, right?"

Ryudo grimaced. He knew he was fighting a losing battle. With Aira able to see what they were truly thinking, what they truly felt, what was he supposed to say? "...You're wrong, kid. See..."

"Argh... All of you, just go away!" she shrieked out. As if triggered by her outburst, the darkness receded from the room. The companions gasped as they saw the sunken eyeball Aira had been standing no. Veins trailed out from the center. All of this inside a little girl's soul... None of them knew what to make of it.

"Aira! Stop this!" shouted out San, but it was no use. Sinking into the eyeball, there was nothing they could do about it now. Crying out in surprise, the companions moved back as the eyeball began to glow an unearthly violet. Before any of them could think about what was happening, a giant monster rose up in place of Aira. At the same time, a familiar whirring noise was heard as four of the flying eyeballs they had faced earlier appeared at the monster's side.

"What the hell is that thing meant to be?" shouted out Ryudo as he drew his sword. They were not even given a moment to collect their thoughts before the battle began. Rolling to the side, Ryudo barely dodged an attack.

"It's the Eye of Valmar!" answered San as she sliced through one of the eyeballs that shot after her. Her attack barely reached the monster, but it was still injured. "Roan! Help me with the little guys while the others take care of the main part!"

"Right!" called back Roan as he hurried over to her side.

"Hey! Who said you always get to give the orders?" questioned Millenia as a bolt from her crossbow tore through the soft tissue of the Eye of Valmar.

"Don't argue, just fight!" snapped back San. An eyeball that was zooming straight for her was suddenly smashed down by a giant golden hammer. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she glanced to Roan in thanks. Though still young, he certainly could handle himself rather well in all the fights they were in.

"Make every attack count!" called out Ryudo as his blade sliced through one of the hanging limbs off the Eye of Valmar. Blood sprayed out from the new wound as the limb fell useless to the ground, still twitching though it was no longer connected to the main body.

Magic was constantly crackling in the air as various spells were cast. With their foe being so fast, spells were once again the better choice to make certain their attacks would land. The whirring the eyeballs made soon ceased to be for they had been destroyed. The Eye of Valmar, though it now had all its vine-like limbs removed, still proved to be a difficult foe.

"Man, you guys still aren't done?" asked San as she appeared by Ryudo's side. From behind, Mareg rushed forward, his mighty ax piercing through the main body of the Eye of Valmar. The monster screeched out in pain, the attacking being too severe for it to continue on. Recoiling from the blade of the ax, the Eye of Valmar seemed to go into convulsions before it exploded in a bright light.

Crying out in surprise, Ryudo raised his arm to block the light for it was far too bright. All his senses seemed to be overwhelmed by the death of the Eye of Valmar. This was nothing like when they had defeated Gadan. Was it because they had defeated the piece of Valmar inside Aira's soul? The Geohound barely had time to think on the matter further before the light died down.

Ryudo had to blink several times before he could clearly see again. They were no longer inside Aira's soul. Breathing out, the Geohound watched as his breath clouded before him in the cold and lifeless Garden of Dreams. He quickly looked around and sighed in relief when he saw the others were safely in the garden as well. It was the redhead who moved first. Looking ahead to where she was headed, Ryudo promptly moved forward.

"Millenia! What are you doing?" he shouted out before she reached Aira's side. The young girl lay still on the ground, her soft breathing being the only proof she was still alive. Huffing in annoyance, Millenia turned around and shot a look at Ryudo. "Don't you know by now? I won. She's mine now!"

"Stop!" Rushing forward, Ryudo moved between Millenia and the little girl. "Where else do we look? There's a way to save the girl! We just have to find it!" His words were said to convince Millenia as they were to convince himself. He did not want the young girl to end up like Gadan.

"I said there ISN'T one," sighed the redhead as her anger rose. "Either I devour her, or she devours me. And I'm no one's dinner."

"Dammit!" Ryudo slammed his fist against the tree in attempts to vent some of his frustration.

"Didn't we already go through this, Ryudo? She's only going to suffer. Nothing else we can do." Cursing under his breath, Ryudo rounded back on Millenia to try and get her to stop when someone else caught his attention. Looking down into the garden, he saw someone else was now there.

"So this is the Garden of Dreams?" breathed out Sandra as she studied the place. Clasping her shawl tightly around her shoulders, Aira's mother walked forward hesitantly through the lifeless garden. Her sad gaze moved up to the group of companions atop the small hill and then fell onto her daughter. She gasped lightly, bringing her hand to cover her mouth before she rushed over to her daughter's side.

"Aaah!" cried out Sandra as she fell to her knees. Tears fell down her face as she hugged her daughter tightly. "I'm so sorry! I love you more than anyone."

"...Mother?" breathed out Aira.

"I never thought you were a monster, even for a moment..." A soft smile parted Aira's lips as her eyes grew watery. "Oh, I'm so glad. So you don't hate...me...right?" Unable to find her words to answer, Sandra shook her head. "Look... This is the Garden of Dreams you told me about, mother. Isn't it pretty?" A light sob escaped her mother as she continued to cling to Aira. Unable to move any other part of her body, Aira looked over to Millenia. "You, the girl with wings, please...take out the eye. Mother smiled, so I don't need this eye anymore... I understand everything now."

Taking the invitation, Millenia moved forward and held a hand over where Aira lay. With but a single thought, the dark wings of Valmar appeared from her back.

"Millenia, do you know what you're doing?" asked Mareg, his deep voice being surprisingly soft.

"Miss Millenia..." murmured Roan.

"In the end, this is just like Gadan," sighed San as she looked off to the side. "Is it impossible for us to change their fates?"

Gasping, Sandra quickly sat back up and gave Millenia a pleading gaze. "Please! Leave her alone... Please! She...she!"

"Mother, don't worry..." reassured Aira as she looked back to Sandra. "I have to get rid of this or I...might make more trouble for everyone. Mother, I love you so..."

Sniffing lightly, Millenia cast her spell. A bright light appeared above Aira and her mother moved back in as though it would protect Aira. The Wings of Valmar quickly consumed the Eye. As the light faded, the rest of them gasped at the change in their surroundings. What had once been a garden filled to the brim with flowers was now a barren land. Not even the leaves on the trees remained.

"The fairies are...going back into the bodies of the villagers," pointed out Roan as they watched the balls of light float away. It was the only good thing that had come from this whole ordeal.

"If I was able to save her as I was to shoot my mouth off..." sighed Rudo as he hung his head. "I'm sorry..."

Still grief-stricken, Sandra rose. Wiping the tears from her face, she bowed her head to Ryudo. "I wish to thank you. It was because of your words that I had the courage to come here. In the end, you saved her." A sad smile crossed her face as she stared back down at her daughter. "Look, she's smiling, right?" The brown-haired Geohound could not find any words to respond with. "She was the light of my life," sighed Sandra sombrely. "Now tell me, how can I make my life worth living again...?"

An unexpected laugh escaped Millenia. "Die. End it. Then everyone else's lives will be worth living. It's all your fault, anyway. 'Sides, why should we care?" She flicked some of her red hair back over her shoulder in a nonchalant manner.

"Millenia!" snapped Ryudo through gritted teeth. "You bloody wretched little...!"

Sandra stared at Millenia in shock and detest. Dusting off her shoulder, Millenia pursed her lips together. "Hmmm... I see." Turning away from them, she looked over the dead garden and pointed out to something. "Look! Over there!" The rest followed to where she pointed and saw the lone flower that had still managed to survive. "That flower is Aira's heart. It grows there 'cause it couldn't return to her body. Aira _might_ come back if enough of those flowers bloom to fill this place," explained Millenia to Sandra. "Though there's no way that'll happen."

Aira's mother gave her a defiant look. "Yes it will. I'll make it happen! I'll turn this whole place into a garden!"

"Miss Millenia! So little Aira will come back?" asked Roan, unable to hide his joy.

"Maybe..." Becoming silent, Millenia walked down the hill of the dead garden.

"Wait up a second, Millenia," called out Ryudo as he hurried after her. "Those things you said to Sandra..." he muttered quietly so the others would not hear. "Were your words meant to give her streng—"

"Huh?" Millenia quickly pulled on a confused expression. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb," sighed Ryudo as he ran a hand over his face. "Then were you lying when you said that there's no hope for Aira? You DID say that there was no way to save her. On _numerous_ occasions."

"Um, well...uh yeah..." Shaking her head to regain her composure, Millenia tilted her chin up and placed a hand on her hip. "Oh, nevermind that. I AM the Wings of Valmar, Ryudo. I could care less about the petty antics of these miserable little humans."

A smirk crossed Ryudo's face. "Uh-huh. Listen, girlie, just so you know: you can't con a con artist. And if you're gonna try, you'd best be better than me."

Pursing her lips together, Millenia averted her gaze. But it was not in annoyance. No. She just did not want anyone to see just how much this incident had truely affected her.

:::

The companions stood around Aira's bed. Had it not been for her chest rising and falling with each little breath she took, one might have thought her head.

Elena clasped her hands together and stared down regretfully to Aira. "I am so sorry, little Aira... I could do nothing for you..."

"She'll be okay. I know it," voiced Roan, looked over to the Songstress. Out of all of them there, he had the most hope for Aira's recovery. "A kind girl like little Aira cannot end up like this."

"She won't get better over night, though. Everyone here has to help her," muttered San.

"As the raven is born of its own, so does kindness beget kindness," grumbled Mareg. "There will be good even in this."

Turning around, Ryudo faced Sandra. Aira's mother still looked as sad as he did before. "Well, we should be going. Don't lose hope in Aira. We won't. Take care, and thank you for everything." Ryudo dipped his head curtly in thanks as he finished.

"Miss Sandra!" called out a new voice of a young boy. Looking over to the door, they all watched as Nocolas came running in.

"Well, Nicolas! You're awake!" greeted Sandra with a sad smile.

"Yes, but I'm really hungry..." The young boy placed his hand over his stomach for a moment. "Hey, where's Aira?"

Looking over her shoulder, Sandra sighed before she looked back to Nicolas. "Aira's still sleeping. Sorry."

"Aw, and I wanted to come over and play..." He tapped his foot against the floor in a depressed manner. "No fun!"

"Nicolas..." came Elena as she walked over to the young boy.

Smiling, he looked up to the Songstress. "Yes, Miss?"

Elena knelt down so that she was at the boy's eye-level. "Be nice to little Aira, will you...?"

He blinked in confusion. "Huh?" A quick laugh escaped him. "Of course! We're friends, after all!" Waving farewell to them, Nicolas ran off as quickly as he had arrived.

"Come, let's go," said Ryudo as he headed for the door.

"Thank you for all your help. Please take care..." Sandra bowed to them as the companions left.

Without saying any more words, all of them left Sandra's house and were met by the rays of the sun. When they had first entered Mirumu, it had felt like a village that had had all its joy and life sucked out of it. Now, with everyone who had been in the unnatural sleep awake, life seemed to have returned to Mirumu. Though the village no longer gave them a depressed feeling, all of them felt worse off now compared to when they had first arrived. The events with Aira had just struck too deep.

"Well, well. Look what the slavish devotion to sanctimonious bloodshed dragged in. What brings you here—or did I just answer myself?" questioned Ryudo as they reached the entrance of Mirumu. The person in question turned from the Village Chief at the Geohound's words. Glaring softly, Selene walked up to the group of companions.

"I shall put that mother and daughter before the Inquisition!" she snapped at them. Though her expression remained guarded and calm, her voice and words could not hide how she truly felt about the matter.

"Why?" demanded Ryudo, placing a hand on his hip. "Haven't the people who fell ill recovered? Shouldn't you be diving back into your crypt and gnawing at bones by now?"

"Ryudo is right, High Priestess Selene," agreed Elena, stepping forward. "The girl cannot see, nor can she hear. She is harmless. Please, just leave her alone."

"Hold your tongue, Songstress." Her eyes narrowed as Selene's judging gaze switched to Elena. "Those tainted by Valmar must be dealt with accordingly. In the name of Granas, all that is evil and corruptible must be purified!"

Elena made a weak noise in despair as she stepped back. As a follower of Granas, she could not disagree, no matter how much she may have wanted to.

"Please STOP it with that word!" snapped Ryudo. "Tell me, is it wrong for a mother to wish to heal her sick daughter? Is it 'righteous' to string up a grieving mother?"

Selene's cold gaze switched back to the Geohound. She almost seemed amused by his words. If she was, it was a twisted kind of amusement. "Ryudo...you do seem to WANT to protect them. Some would find your words to be heretical. You have no issues with this?"

"High Priestess Selene, surely you would not...?" gasped Elena.

"Fine, fine," sighed Ryudo as he ran a hand through his hair, his anger not diminishing. "I'm a heretic. I hate god. I hate your ridiculous outfits. I hate YOU. Call me whatever, but leave these two alone."

"Ah... High Priestess Selene, do not worry about us," came the Village Chief softly. He seemed shaken, as though it was taking all of his courage to stand up to Selene. After seeing what she could be like, none there cold blame him. "Everything has been resolved. Let's not argue any more... Please... Please let us get back to our lives. We were suffering, but that was no reason for our cruel treatment of Sandra and Aira. Please...forgive us." Finished, he bowed his head low to Selene.

"Please...forgive us, Priestess," murmured out other villagers as they also hung their heads.

Scoffing lightly under her breath, Selene looked back to the Village Chief and the villagers around him. "...I remain reluctant, yet let it not be said that Granas is without mercy. So be it. However, Elena..." Finished with the villagers, she eyed the Songstress again. "You seem to be lacking in piety for a follower of Granas...for a Songstress. This I shall report to His Holiness Zera."

Finished with her dealings with them, Selene walked off to leave the village, her head held high. As she left, the Cathedral Knights followed her out. Only once they were gone from sight did people begin to relax. They wondered just when Mirumu would fully heal from these events.

"We walked a fine line there," murmured San as they began to leave the village.

"You're not kidding," agreed Ryudo. "But something tells me that won't be the last time."

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**A/N**: Ah, finally, done with Mirumu. That place took way too long... Anyway, I definitely hope to get at least another chapter up before the end of the summe if not more. With Mirumu done with, it means I'm one step closer to the scenes I really want to write! Yay for motivation. Hope you come back to read more!


	10. Climbing The Mountain

**A/N**: Huzzah for chapter 10! Now this story is around 1/3 of the way done! (chapter-wise, and probably around number of pages as well). Loooot of dialogue in this, but I hope you enjoy the moments between the characters!

* * *

X

_Climbing the Mountain_

The day continued to drag on as the group of companions climbed their way up the St. Heim Mountains. The farther south they had traveled, the less snow there had been. Each day had grown warmer and warmer until the chill of the north was completely gone. Rays of warm light shone down on them all, raising their hopes up with each step they took. The St. Heim Mountains... Atop of them was St. Heim Papal State...the end of their journey.

All of them knew their journey was coming to an end. They all knew...and so they did not talk about it. When it ended, though, Ryudo knew what he had to do next. Melfice. The closer they got to St. Heim Papal State, the heavier that thought weighed in on his mind. As much as he tried to think of other things, his brother always seeped into his thoughts.

Surprisingly enough, the caverns they had to traverse through helped to take Ryudo's mind off his brother...but only for a few precious moments. The darkness inside them, while not as suffocating as in other caverns, made the Geohound the ones they had to recently travel though, and then what had been found in them.

Each of the pieces of Valmar they had run into brought nothing but trouble and suffering to the people around it. Even Millenia, figured Ryudo wryly, brought them their share of hassle. But Aira, Gadan...those possessed by Valmar seemed to suffer the most in the end. The darkness that had taken hold of them left them in such a bad state that Ryudo could not help but wonder if death would actually be their preferred outcome.

_Melfice...is he really like them too?_ thought Ryudo bitterly as he ran a hand down his face. Sure enough, everything seemed to be connected to his brother. All the threads of their recent events seemed, in some way or another, tied to his blasted brother. If Melfice truly was possessed by some part of Valmar for all this time, would there be any part of his brother remaining? Would he be able to return to normal over time like Aira and Gadan? Or would he be so far-gone that his only salvation would be in the eternal slumber.

"Dammit," hissed Ryudo. Here he did not even know if his brother really was the demon-man Mareg claimed him to be or just a murderer, and yet he was thinking of putting Melfice out of his misery should he be possessed. It suddenly hit him that this must have been how Sandra was feeling when she asked them to take care of Aira. To be so desperate that the only plan one can think of is to put the person out of their misery...it was not a nice feeling at all.

"Ryudo?" came a voice from behind.

Turning around, Ryudo masked his expression so no one could ask what he had been thinking about. The others had all stopped, San at their lead. Behind her, Roan and Elena seemed the most worn-down after all their hiking while Mareg seemed like he was barely breaking a sweat.

"We should camp here tonight, don't you think?" asked San as she placed a hand on her hip.

Ryudo blinked a couple times. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts he had not even noticed how much time had passed. Since entering the system of caverns, keeping track of time was even harder. The Geohound looked at their current location and quickly evaluated it. It was an elevated part in the cavern, the paths in either direction leading down. Out of the entirety of the caverns, Ryudo figured it was one of the better defensible places if needed. There were not too many monsters around, but there were enough. Not to mention, it did not look as though Roan or Elena could travel much farther at the moment.

"Right," he coughed out in agreement. "Let's get set up then."

Working together, it took mere minutes to get the tent and fire started. With there being no trees inside he cavern, they were forced to burn various roots that had reached so far in. The fire was not the largest, but it would do its job at keeping them warm. Once their dinner was ready, they all sat down by the fire.

"Just what happened in Mirumu Village?" questioned Elena after she sipped some of her stew. "I wonder if our actions were correct."

"I cannot accept Selene's ways..." murmured Roan for the others were busy eating. "But what else could be done? Could something else _have_ been done?"

"Events were in motion there long before we arrived.," responded San solemnly. "There was little else we could have done."

"None can find fault with Sandra. Her actions were those of a difficult parent." Mareg grumbled lightly as he rose to take more stew. None of them were surprised that he had already finished his first bowl.

"No one could blame Aira for what she did... She was just doing what she thought was right," sighed Ryudo. Their dinner conversations always seemed to take a turn for the worse after dealing with Valmar. How could they not? The events weighed heavily on all their minds, not just Ryudo's.

"As a Sister of Granas, I wonder what I should have really done..."

"Elena, don't doubt yourself like that. You did what you had to do...we all did," reassured San.

"I think we should be happy that the whole village was not burned down..." murmured Roan.

To the little boy's side, Mareg nodded. "The village was most fortunate to have escaped destruction."

"If it weren't for Millenia, we'd be stuck back there, sorting through the mess," muttered Ryudo as he shifted his weight. "Hell, Selene might've put a torch to everything."

Elena looked to him, slightly shocked at his remark. "Don't you see? Millenia is Valmar, right? Does she not steal souls and do evil deeds?"

"I'll give you that," sighed the brunet as he brushed some of his bangs to the side. "She does seem sort of...dangerous somehow, I guess."

"I still do not understand," sighed Roan while Ryudo shot Elena a look. "IS she really the Wings of Valmar?"

"She has those dark wings, doesn't she? Don't exactly see stuff like that every day," commented San as she stretched slightly. "Not to mention her ability to consume other pieces of Valmar, and even Aira kept calling her the 'girl with wings'."

"But..." A soft sigh escaped Roan as his shoulders fell. There was not much he could do to argue.

"Millenia is but a child, yet unacquainted with the world," rumbled Mareg.

"Miss Millenia, still a child...? You think so? I think of her as quite an adult."

"What do you think Millenia did?" questioned Elena as she clasped her hands together in her familiar manner. "Did she not destroy Aira's soul? Was that the right thing to do?"

"There...was nothing else _to _do," sighed San as she tilted her head away.

"I know not the nature of this Valmar," rumbled Mareg. "Even so, Millenia's SMELL differs from that of the damnable fiend, Melfice." Ryudo felt his brow twitch slightly at the mention of his brother. Once again, everything seemed to be tied back to him.

"I still don't know," sighed Ryudo, resting his head in his hand. "I figure the incarnation of pure evil would be a little less..._giggly_, I suppose."

"The more I hear of Millenia, the more my disgust grows," commented Elena while she gripped her pants. "Who―or what―is she? Just thinking of her presence...inside me...makes me ill at ease."

"Just who or what is Miss Millenia? I wonder," murmured out Roan as he pulled his knees up to his chin.

"Those possessed by Valmar would change into other forms... Perhaps Millenia is...?" thought San aloud.

Elena suddenly looked over to the blue-haired Geohound, her brown eyes wide. "You don't suppose...?"

Blinking in surprise, San shrugged at the Songstress. "I can only guess."

"But, when Gadan and Aira changed, they were still themselves," pointed out Roan, sitting up straighter. "They do not become some other person, like Millenia is to Elena."

"Yes. Which is what makes this so odd..."

"Hey San, why did Aira call you an Old One?" asked Ryudo after a moment.

San nearly choked on her food at the sudden question. Quickly swallowing, she had to cough a few times before responding. "What?"

"Back inside her soul, she called you an Old One. Do you know what she meant?" Ryudo continued to peer at her as she glanced away. There was no mistaking it this time: Aira had been referring to San, not Hisashi. He knew it was not the best of situations to ask, what with the others around, but a part of him wanted them there as sort of witnesses.

"I dunno," answered San as she tapped a fist to her chest to make sure no food was stuck. "Got me as confused as you."

Ryudo pursed his lips together for a moment. He had given answers like that too many times himself to know that she was not telling the truth. Opening his mouth to respond, he was surprised when someone else spoke up first: "Maybe San's a descendant of some old people that were connected to Valmar, and that's what Aira saw," yawned Hisashi. All eyes darted down to him. The little gold drake lay curled up by the fire's side, soaking in its warmth. Eyes closed, his tail slowly flicked back and forth as though he were sleeping.

"It's not fair...to judge people on what their ancestors may have done," murmured Roan. He stared into the fire with a distant expression, as though he knew all too well what he meant.

Ryudo bit the inside of his cheek in annoyance. That had not gone quite the way he had hoped. Stretching, he tried to push the matter from his mind. "C'mon, we've yapped enough for the tonight."

:::

Clouds rolled slowly by through the crisp blue sky. Back out in the open, Ryudo could not help but breath in deeply the fresh air. It was not as though he really minded being inside a cavern for a while, he just enjoyed the outside more. The path they traveled on continually grew steeper and steeper. Ryudo paused a moment and stared up the mountain they were on. Up at the top rested St. Heim Papal State and the Cathedral. They were so close...

"Is climbing a mountain meant to be so hard?" breathed out Elena, trying to keep a steady walking pace.

"If you get dizzy, don't hesitate to say if you need a breather," answered San over her shoulder. "The air gets thinner the higher up you go. Each person takes it differently."

"Don't worry, Miss Elena," smiled Roan as he grabbed her hand to help her continue. "We're almost there! You can make it."

"If you require assistance, I would be willing to carry you," offered Mareg.

The Songstress smiled in thanks to the beast-man. "Thank you, Mareg, but I should be fine."

"Don't go passing out on us now, princess," smirked Ryudo from the front. "Wouldn't want to have you falling back down the mountain after coming all this way." Elena sniffed lightly at his comment but otherwise remained silent.

The higher they got, the slower the group went to make sure Elena would not tire so quickly. Overall, it was easier than they expected. The only real difficult parts along the journey was when they had to cross the rushing waterfalls. Slippery rocks that protruded out were the only points of crossing. They proved to be rather precarious. One wrong slip and they could be washed away to who knows where. The companions made sure to take their time at these junctions, making sure each of them was safely across before continuing on.

It felt as though night began to fall all too soon. At very least, the view they had of the setting sun was breathtaking. All of them were glad to be able to see it rather than being cooped up inside another dank cavern for the night.

"We stay here for tonight, people," announced Ryudo once they reached a clearing after the sun had passed the horizon. With how far they had traveled now, he figured they were about halfway up the mountain. With any luck, they would be at the Cathedral by tomorrow evening.

"Fine, I will go get some water," offered Roan.

"A fine idea. I shall accompany you," rumbled Mareg, placing a firm hand on the young boy's shoulder. "It will make your burden lighter."

Roan let out a quick laugh. "No, I will be able to manage."

"Then I shall keep you company," smiled the beast-man. "Come, let us go."

"You two―take care, all right?" called out Elena after them as Roan and Mareg headed off to fetch some water. The two Geohounds and the Songstress were left to setting up their camp and readying the fire. At least now there were plenty of trees outside rather than the barren surroundings of the cavern, and so the flames quickly spring to life.

"Woo, man, who would have thought we'd be so close to the Cathedral by now?" questioned San to no one in particular as she plopped down on the soft dirt. Hisashi glided down to rest by her feet, once again close to the flickering fire.

"We're almost there," agreed Ryudo as he took a seat by the fire. A laugh escaped him. "If I'd known this trip would take so long, I would've had Vyx pet-sit Skye here." From atop the tent, the eagle-like bird clicked his beak.

"I fear our trip would have been much shorter had you not been with us, Ryudo, San. It is only because of you that we have come so far," grinned Elena brightly. "I have learned...many things, as well. Thank you for what you have done."

San lazily raised a hand to show her thanks to Elena's words. "You've learned them all on your own, Elena. No need to be thanking us."

"Besides, we're not the only ones who should be thanked," pointed out Ryudo. "I for one did some things I normally wouldn't do 'cause of you... But it was worth it. I've never actually enjoyed a job before." A grin broke out across his face.

"And I've never seen the little punk actually work before, either!" commented Skye from above.

"Shut your wormhole, Skye. Shouldn't you be pecking and scratching at the ground, anyway?"

Laughter escaped San and Elena while Ryudo focused his attention back at the fire. "What about you, San?" asked Elena as she tilted her head. "Did you end up enjoying this job?"

San cocked her head back and forth as she thought about it for a moment. "Well, it has proven to be a rather interesting job compared to others. I'd have to say it is enjoyable in its own little way. I think I'll actually be sad to see it end."

"Well, this certainly is a first," smirked Hisashi as he rose his head. His sharp eyes peered up at San. "To think you could actually enjoy working with so many people for an extended period of time."

San leaned forward so she could eye the little drake better. "Maybe that's because most people don't want to work with a Geohound. That ever cross your little mind?" she asked back dryly. Reaching out, San flicked the golden creature across his snout.

"When we come to the Cathedral and meet with His Holiness, Pope Zera..." began Elena, breaking the silence. "Do you think he will truly be able to exorcise Valmar?"

The Geohounds looked over to the Songstress after exchanging worried glances. "That, I don't know," sighed Ryudo.

"He's the Pope for a reason, isn't he?" asked San as she rested her chin on her knees, peering over at Elena. "He must be able to do at least_ some_thing for you."

"Perhaps you are right," agreed Elena, though it seemed rather halfhearted.

"Look, this is a bit off-topic," started Ryudo, seeing that a change of conversation was needed. "But I've been meaning to ask: why are you so nice?"

Elena blinked in surprise at the brunet. "Well, the souls of the people are weak, so I must help them. I must bring them the Light. If they are not strong, then the Dark One will seize upon your weakness...as with me. Will His Holiness be able to save me...?"

"There is always a way..."

"Don't doubt yourself, Elena," added San.

"'Sides, we'll see him tomorrow. We'll know then."

"Yes, you are right." Elena nodded. Quickly, she brought a smile to her face. It seemed as though she was too good at smiling when she was actually sad. "Well, I think I am going to go gather some more firewood, seeing Mareg and Roan still aren't back yet."

"You need any help?" asked San, beginning to rise.

The Songstress quickly shook her head. "No, I shall be fine. Walking around and getting used to this thinner air should do me some good, after all."

"All right. Come right back if anything seems weird," warned Ryudo before Elena left with a wave.

"Well, who would have thought the Songstress would be going off on her own through the wilderness when we first started this," remarked San as she pushed back some of her hair.

Ryudo barked out a dry laugh. "Yeah. She seemed afraid of her own shadow at the beginning. Now she's going off into the dark by herself."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. 'Sides, not like she should have to go too far for firewood." Sighing, San drew forth her sword and began to draw little designs into the ashes of the fire.

Looking over, Ryudo studied her sword for a moment. There was nothing special about its design. At first glance it seemed like a regular broadsword. The only thing that made it different from the kind one could find at a weapon's dealer were the graceful runes that ran down the blade.

"Hey, do those runes mean anything? Or are they just decoration?"

San blinked as she looked between him and her sword. The corner of her mouth curled up in an amused smile as she cradled the sword in her shoulder. "It means 'courage'," she answered, staring back to the flames. "A very specific type of courage..."

The brunet tilted his head at this. A specific type of courage? Was courage not just courage? How could there be a specific type? "What kind of courage?" he asked instead.

"The courage one needs to be able to pick themselves back up after they've fallen." That answer made Ryudo even more confused. A quick laugh escaped San as she saw the expression on his face. "Metaphorically fallen. Like when you feel like you've hit rock bottom after something bad has happened, y'know? It takes a great amount of strength and courage to be able to pull yourself up after something like that." Her look became distant as she stared back at the flames. "I...don't quite have that courage yet."

"You're joking, right? Surely you've been able to pick yourself up from whatever happened."

The blue-haired Geohound shook her head wryly. "Nope. Feels like it happened an eternity ago, but I'm still at rock bottom. I put the runes on my blade to remind me of what I need to do."

"You'll get there..." Looking up, Ryudo quickly scanned their surroundings to see if any of the other three were returning yet. "Hey, can I see the sword for a minute?" he asked once he was certain their companions still were not back. San nodded and handed the blade over to him. Ryudo held it up and studied the blade closely. It was lighter than he expected, as though it were made out of something different than steel. He could also feel the magic coursing through it, as though San had placed enchantments on it. "I've never seen runes like these before... Are they related to the Old Ones?"

San stared up at him, her brow furrowed in what seemed like a mix of confusion and annoyance. "What?"

"These runes. Are they at all related to why Aira called you an Old One?"

San tried to dismiss the matter by looking away and masking her expression. "I don't know what you're tal―"

"You need to work on your lying, San," countered Ryudo, causing San to bite off the rest of her sentence. Placing the sword down next to her, the brunet would not look away until she faced him eye-to-eye. "'Just wants to destroy what she helped to create', that's what Aira said. You always seem to know more about what's going on than the rest of us, even more so than Millenia. That blasted tower, Liligue, and Mirimu, you never let on to all you really know, do you?" Her amethyst eyes looked anywhere but at his blue ones. "We've been on this journey long enough, don't you think we deserve at least _some _answers? Especially if it has anything to deal with what's going on―"

"And what if it doesn't?" she suddenly snapped, glaring at him. "Did you think about that?" Ryudo quickly shifted back slightly at her display of anger. "I told you I had no idea why Aira called me an Old One. Even if I did, you think I'd just tell you guys despite it being related to what we're doing or not?"

"I-I didn't mean it li―"

"I thought you of all people would understand the need in keeping at least _some _secrets to yourself," she sighed. Though her voice had gone back down, Ryudo could tell she was still upset. "Not everything in our lives needs to be common knowledge..." Shaking her head, San rose up. "_Tch_, I'm gonna go help Elena." Before Ryudo could say anything, she walked off into the woods, Hisashi trailing after her.

Once she was gone from sight, Ryudo let his face fall into the palm of his hand. "Dammit." Letting out a gruff sigh, he let himself fall back to the ground. "Not the way to talk to her about stuff..."

"What talking?" questioned Skye as he glided down from his perch to stand beside Ryudo's head. "It was more like you were interrogating her."

"Aw, c'mon." Running a hand down his face, the Geohound looked over to his friend. "Who knows when I'd be able to ask her again? Once we get Elena to the Cathedral, I'll be joining Mareg to search for Melfice. San said she had something to look for and would probably tag along, but who knows what the chances are of _that_ now. I don't know what she plans on doing after or if we'd ever see each other again."

"Perhaps you should have asked THAT instead." Skye ruffled up his feathers for a moment and preened a few. "Besides, she's right," he finally continued once done. "People are allowed to keep some secrets to themselves. Would you have told them about Melfice had Mareg not mistaken you for your brother?"

Ryudo pulled himself up. "That's completely different! I thought it was dead―that I wouldn't have to deal with that ever again."

"Perhaps she things the same for whatever's eating her."

"If it is, then she should tell us." His blue eyes shifted over to the line of trees. "You know, spread the weight of the burden..."

A sigh escaped Skye. "You really do have bad timing when it comes to saying what needs to be said."

Off in the trees, San had stopped once the camp was out of sight. Gripping her hair, she leaned back against one of the trunks.

"You know he's not stupid," commented Hisashi as he landed on her shoulder. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's figured something out by now."

"If he ever does, then I'd be happy to answer any question he has," sighed San. "But until then, I won't reward lucky guesses." Shaking her head, the blue-haired Geohound headed off deeper into the trees to find Elena.

"Would it really be so bad if they knew the truth?"

"That's just it, I _don't_ know. All I know is that I can't take that chance..."

"At the very least, San, you wouldn't have to burden so much on your shoulders alone."

A weak laugh escaped her. "I have you, don't I? Besides, it's not something they should have to bear..."

Back at their camp, Ryudo poked the dying embers that remained of the fire. He and Skye were still the only ones who were there.

"Where is San?" came a voice. Looking up, Ryudo saw Elena returning with a bunch of firewood in her arms.

"She's not with you?"

"No... I haven't run into San." Kneeling by the fire, the Songstress placed several of the dry branches she found into the embers, the flames returning to life. "Did something happen?"

"Bah, she said she'd go off to help you."

"I'm sure she'll come back soon once she can't find me out there." Finished, Elena took her seat by the fire. Footsteps soon rose up in the distance. Looking to their source, the Geohound and Songstress saw Roan and Mareg returning.

"What took you so long? Dinner's getting cold," announced Ryudo once the two of them were near enough.

"The path we followed wrapped upon itself as a many-coiled serpent, its course at once both circuitous and labyrinthine," grumbled Mareg, an embarrassed grin on his face.

At his side, Roan let out a light laugh as he bashfully rubbed his neck . "Mister Mareg...is trying to say..."

Giggling softly, Elena tilted her head. "Whatever are you two talking about?"

"We were lost," answered Mareg with a sigh.

"Your skills must be getting rusty if you got lost in this place, Mareg," called out a voice. All looked over to see San returning. Arms crossed, there was a slight smirk on her face as she neared the fire. The beast-man let out a deep chuckle in embarrassment.

"Come, let us eat," he proclaimed, changing the subject. "My claws are sheathed, my belly hollow."

"About time you showed up," laughed out Ryudo once they were all seated. "How many people does it take to get water? And what the hell took you so long anyway?"

"Well, um, no..." chuckled our Roan as he rubbed the back of his head. "We just got a little lost. Right, Mister Mareg?"

"Roan...there is no need to dwell on such things," grumbled Mareg before he scarfed down some food.

"My, you must have really gotten hungry while out there," commented San. Though Mareg normally ate wish such gusto, he seemed even more ravenous than normal.

"You two certainly took your time. I was worried that something had happened," said Elena with a relieved smile.

"Just what were you two up to?" questioned Ryudo.

"We just got a little lost. Sorry to make you worry!" apologized Roan, though a smile was still on his face.

"I see you have found yourselves. My heart is gladdened," rumbled Mareg as he smiled to the group.

"And what do you mean by _that_?" The brunet raised an eyebrow in question. There were often times when Ryudo would get confused over what the beast-man said.

"There are times when its best to allow the river to run its own course. You will discover the truth of this soon enough... In any event, our path draws near to the Cathedral."

Nodding, Ryudo went back to eating his meal. "We've almost cleared the mountains... We'll be in the St. Heim Papal State soon."

"So we shall finally reach Granas Cathedral," murmured Elena, lowering her spoon. "We have come so far..."

"To think the end's just a stone's throw away now," muttered San. "We are almost to the St. Heim Papal State. And to the Granas Cathedral, where people gather to say their prayers," commented Roan. "I wonder, do prayers said along ago by people you never knew still stay around...even if no one still remembers them...?"

Elena clasped her hands together and closed her eyes thoughtfully. "A thought carries far on the wings of a prayer."

"Even a thought cast aside has the faculty to trouble and sway the mind," grumbled Mareg, his expression becoming serious. "There is a danger in this, though the new supplants the old. Though the aged pine chokes the sapling of light, in due time, the sapling will rise...as it must."

"Life...goes on," sighed San, finished with her meal.

"We'll speed things up a bit tomorrow," announced Ryudo. "Let's go to bed."

* * *

**A/N**: Oooh, wow, exciting...not really... I really do dislike writing their dinner conversations. But, they must be done.

Well, this was mainly its own chapter to keep the ones around it from being extra long. But hey, just what's up with San? Hmm... Anyway, one step closer to to more exciting stuff!


	11. St Heim Papal State

**A/N**: Woo, this ended up being quite the wait. My apologies for that! Working on other things keeps me busy... But the important thing is that the chapter's now done! And a big thank you again to Haku-BlackRose for the review (and no need keep apologizing for your English, it's quite all right!).

Not much happens in this chapter (well, what did you expect while they're at the Cathedral?), but hope you all enjoy!

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XI

_St. Heim Papal State_

The path beneath their feet changed from loose dirt to cobblestone. With the sun making its way towards the horizon, the group of companions finally made it to the gates of St. Heim Papal State. Ryudo let out a deep sigh as they stopped and stared at the town before them. He had never seen such a grandly-built place. As he surveyed the town, he could not help but have some respect for the work that must have gone into building it...even if it was a religious area. But there was more than just that in this place... This was the end of their journey.

"We made it!" breathed out Elena as she hurried forward to cross the remaining distance to St. Heim Papal State. "We are finally here!" The Songstress could not but help hold out her arms as she soaked in what it truly meant to be there for them. She had not felt such bliss in a long time.

A guard came up to the new arrivals. "Before you lies the splendor of the St. Heim Papal State, dedicated in honor of the glory and majesty of our Great Lord Granas," announced the guard as though he had recited it many times before.

"Cute. This is where the Cathedral is?" asked Ryudo as he placed a hand on his hip. The guard eyed him for a moment, causing Ryudo's dislike for the people here to rise even more.

"Yes, it is so. But what business have you at the Cathedral?"

Elena quickly stepped up before Ryudo could make some remark on how the guard figured it did not seem right for "someone like him" to be at the Cathedral. "I am a Sister in service of Lord Granas. My name is Elena. Father Carius of Carbo in the Black Forest instructed me to come and call upon His Holiness, Pope Zera."

"Well, that must have been quite a journey."

From behind the Songstress, San let out a light scoff. "_That's_ an understatement," she muttered dryly. Her remark caused her to receive a swift glance from Elena. The peaceful woman sighed softly, and seemed ready to retort when she held her tongue. Quietly, she nodded in agreement before focusing her attention back on the guard. What San had been true enough, and none of the others there could argue with her remark. The things they had gone through to even make it this far was more than just _quite_ a journey.

"So you wish to meet His Holiness Zera?"

Clasping her hands together and standing properly, Elena nodded. "I must make a report regarding...the Ceremony of Sealing."

"Well, then, let me lead you to the Cathedral." Taking a step to the side, the guard held out a hand to indicate the path that was before them. As much as Elena wanted to complete her mission, she did not take the offer right then.

"Um, well, I would rather not today..." she began to explain. "I shall go there directly tomorrow."

Placing a hand over his chest, the guard bowed deeply to the Songstress and the rest of the group. "As you wish. I shall inform His Holiness." Elena, in kind, bowed in thanks before the guard left to pass on the message.

"And so the mighty warriors come to the end of their lengthy, needlessly complicated journey!" barked out Ryudo. Quiet mutters of agreement came from the others on his word choice. "You did good, kid." The dark-haired Geohound nodded to the Songstress. "Must be tired."

She was silent for a moment, her brown eyes still fixed on the road in front of them. "Ryudo, what will you and the others do now?"

Ryudo bit on his bottom lip as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm still a little concerned about my brother, but I have no idea where he might be." A long sigh escaped him. It was not as though he had never started from nothing before. He just did not like doing that. If there was the slightest lead, he would not hesitate to take it.

"Fate has seen fit to bind brother to brother." Mareg crossed his burly arms and locked gazes with Ryudo. "I would stay on with you, for destiny's work is not yet complete."

"I would like to stay with you too," added Roan, his eyes beaming brightly. There was little that could dampen his spirits. "But I am also interested in the stories told by the Church of Granas, so I would like to stay here a while."

With a wave of his hand, Ryudo gestured that it would not be a bother. "Not a problem. Not like I have anywhere else to be." Blue eyes darted over to violet ones. Arms crossed, San arched an eyebrow to the other Geohound.

"Guess it's time for me to decide, huh?" Sighing, the blue-haired Geohound shrugged helplessly. Ryudo took that moment to look away. He was certain that it would be because of him if she decided to part ways now that this job was over. In fact, he completely expected her to say her farewells now, which is why it came as a surprise when she said, "Guess if we're headed in the same direction, it'd be best to stick together. How long our paths will remain the same though, I can't say."

"That's great to hear, Miss San!" cheered out Roan. Before she could protest, the young boy hurried to her side and clasped a hand of hers in his. Ryudo had to hold back a laugh once he saw the surprised expression on her face at the warm gesture. Though he could act more mature than the Geohounds at times, Roan was still a kid at heart.

"But Elena," began Ryudo, looking over to the Songstress. Even she had a soft smile on her face from seeing how happy Roan was; his mood could be rather contagious, after all. Her warm-brown eyes quickly shifted to the Geohound before he continued. "You sure you don't want to take care of your business today?"

"It _is_ an audience with His Holiness Zera, so I want to be neat before...I go," she explained. Her mood slowly shifted to sombre as it sunk in that she would not be joining them beyond this point. Their job was done; it was the end of the line for her.

Ryudo nodded, sensing the moods of those around him also sinking. "Okay. Let's spend the night here and rest our feet. Or, for some of us, our rat-stained claws." Skye promptly snapped his beak at the remark. The brunet could not help but smirk in victory.

"Yes, let's do!" agreed Roan. Forcing a smile back on his face, the young blond pointed towards the building with the sing of an inn hanging above it. "I am hungry as well!"

Meekly, Elena nodded. "Yes, you are right..."

As the silence fell, the group of companions headed for the inn. After acquiring their rooms for the night, the five of them took seats around a dinner table. Warm meals wet their taste buds before they were able to dig in. For a time, there was silence. The thought that this would be their last mean all together weighing heavily on their minds.

"I wish to thank you all for everything you have done for me..." said Elena, breaking the silence as they slowly made their way through the meal. Fork and knife in hand, the Songstress paused in eating so that she could say all that she needed to.

After tearing off a bite from his bread, Ryudo dismissed the matter with a wave of his hand. Like the others were now doing, he, too, paused in eating his meal. "Hey, you did your fair share, too!"

The young blond smiled up at the Songstress. "It has been quite a pleasure. And quite an adventure as well."

"So much has happened, all thanks to you Elena. Uh...and I mean that in a good way!" San added with a laugh once she saw the slightly worried expression forming on Elena's face.

"Much remains to be done withal. The wise man still tends to the fire, though it burns brightly." Mareg gave Elena a warm smile. Like many times before, his words held much wisdom in them.

All of their words comforted the Songstress, for she then smiled brightly and nodded. "Thank you so much... I just do not know how to thank you enough...my friends."

Shrugging, Ryudo returned to eating his meal. He was never one for sappy farewells, and this was beginning to feel like that to him. "It's a job. Don't mention it."

A loud clatter quickly brought the brunet's gaze up from his food. At the other end of the table stood Elena, who seemed quite shocked at his word choice. In her rush, it had been the chair she knocked over that made the noise.

"Don't say that! Ryudo..."

Before anyone else could say something, a man dressed in robes of the Church walked up to their table.

"Excuse me... Miss Elena." Regaining her composure, the Songstress looked over to the man that had addressed her. The Priest briefly bowed in apology for interrupting their meal. "Come to the Cathedral right now. His Holiness Zera is overjoyed by the news of your arrival."

"R-right now? I-in the middle of dinner?" She seemed flustered by the idea of going to see the Pope at that very moment. "I am not yet ready. Can this not wait?"

The Priest shook his head. "We shall bring your things later. His Holiness Zera is looking forward to having dinner with you. Please do not make him wait..."

The full weight of the situation she was in dawned in her as she cast her eyes down for a second. "Ah, no, I must not do that..." Grasping her hands together, she looked back to her friends. "Everyone... Ryu-Ryudo."

"Don't spoil the moment, kid," he huffed out, leaning back against his chair. "By now, you know what do do. Good luck." For the briefest of moments, he allowed a smile to cross his face. One-sided it may have been, but it was a smile nonetheless.

"Miss Elena, please take care..." muttered Roan. Though the young blond tried to appear happy, there was a sadness to his voice.

"Keep your chin up, Elena," said San. Winking, she gave the Songstress a thumb-up. "Just you wait, our paths may cross again."

"Your kindness is indeed a rare treasure, Elena..." grumbled Mareg, giving a firm nod towards the Songstress. The Priest then coughed lightly. Picking up on his message, Elena hurried after him towards the inn. As the Priest left the inn, she turned back to her group of friends.

"Thank you all for everything you have done..." Her brown eyes gleamed with tears that she held back. Bowing deeply, her last words were, "I will not forget you!" Before anyone could say anything further, she took her leave.

"Miss Elena..." muttered Roan sombrely as he watched the door. "She's gone..." The journey with all of them together was now at its end. There was no telling when they would see the cheerful Songstress again.

The mighty beast-man nodded. "She is. And now, we must turn to other matters."

Ruffling his feathers, Skye cocked his head to the side. "Well, our job here is finished."

San gave a wide stretch of her arms. "One more job done successfully...even with all those crazy side-trips."

"Yeah..." sighed Ryudo. "The job's done, but I'm feeling...a little sad about the whole thing..." Crossing his arms, a deep scowl crossed his face to mask his sadness. "Go figure..."

:::

Remaining quiet, Elena clasped her hands together in front of her. The cold walls of the Cathedral surrounded her. She had never thought the home of Granas would feel so...unwelcoming towards her. It was not as though the people she crossed paths with here were rude to her, it was the place itself. It was rather unsettling, the fact that she was a devout follower of Granas and yet the Cathedral was putting her off edge. Perhaps it was due to Valmar, the darkness inside of her, that was making that so. Whatever was the cause, she wanted to be rid of it.

"I can see it... The Day of Darkness is near," sighed the man who stood with his back to her. The finest robes she had ever seen donned his old frame. To top it off, a tall white hat rested on his head. That man was none other than His Holiness himself. "Valmar's moon too—its vile shadow is growing even stronger... Valmar is certainly attempting to revive." Turning around, she was permitted to see his wrinkly face again. He walked as though he was the one carrying the burden of the darkness on his shoulders. "You must understand this...

"Listen, Elena. Your mission is important, not just for you, but for the world. The Darkness must be resealed in... Doing this will require all of your effort, the power of Lord Granas, and the Divine Sword, the Granasaber. You must find it, no matter what. Fail, and the world is doomed."

A shudder traveled up Elena's spine at the thought. The world that she loved so much...those in it...she could not bear seeing them destroyed. Still, she could not help but feel a little intimidated, and almost afraid, by what she must now do. Saving the world... The road to its salvation would be perilous at best. Traveling down that path would be difficult for even the most seasoned of fighters and devout followers. Was there any hope for her, a mere Songstress of Granas?

"I understand..."

"You must succeed in order to remove the Darkness within you, as well. You must prevail."

Gripping her hands tighter, the blonde bowed her head low to the Pope. No matter what, no matter how dark the day got, no matter how little hope was left, she knew she would have to go on. For the world. For everyone. For herself... She would have to complete this mission, no matter what.

"I understand. I will not let you down."

She could not...

She _must_ not.

:::

After Elena had left them, the remaining four still sat around their dinner table. Most of the meal had been surrounded by silence. Only once they had finished, and were faced with the prospect of deciding what to do next, did they begin to discuss things.

"Never been one for goodbyes. Or hellos," remarked Ryudo, crossing his arms. "Can't help but feel a bit sad when someone like her leaves..."

"Yes, were Miss Elena with us, we would be able to see the inside of the Cathedral..." sighed Roan, glancing to his empty plate.

"Yeah, don't think they'd normally let a group like us in without good cause," remarked San dryly. She twirled her fork around between her fingers, trying to find some small way to amuse herself.

Casting his eyes to the side, Roan did not meet her gaze. "Yes... We are quite the odd bunch, aren't we?" he chuckled out nervously. Blinking, both of the Geohounds stared at the young blond for a moment. There was something else in his words, something he was not saying. Even with all their experience with dealing with people and what they say, and, more importantly, what they do _not_ say, they could not pick out just what it was Roan seemed to be hiding.

"I presume it interests you." Mareg's words broke the uneasy silence that was beginning to settle in.

"Yes," nodded Roan, shifting his attention to the beast-man. "Miss Elena often spoke of the confrontation between Light and Darkness. But I don't quite understand...at all." A slight pout crossed his face.

"Light. Darkness. Granas. Valmar. Can't tell them apart." Ryudo gave an amused smirk once he saw the disapproving glance Roan shot at him.

"As well, I am not versed in matters of religion," sighed Mareg.

"So we might just find out something there..." Blinking, the blond then shifted his gaze. "Wait, Miss San, do you know anything of it?" His bright blue eyes beamed up at the female Geohound. All other eyes shifted to her, and she seemed to grow uneasy from it. "Back when we were underground Liligue, you said you were quite knowledgeable about history. Do you happen to know about the matters of Granas and Valmar?"

Regaining her composure, San placed her fork down on her plate. "I said I know about history, not religion. Those two things don't always go hand-in-hand."

Once more, Roan pouted. "Oh, I see... But, what do you know then? I'd still love to hear what you know!" he laughed out. His sombre mood did not stay in play for long.

"Well..."

"Mister Ryudo, Miss San, I presume?" The four of them looked up to see the Priest from earlier standing by their table once again.

A deep scowl crossed the Geohound's face. Out of all the possible times for them to get interrupted, the Priest just had to pick then. "What is this?" he asked back rudely. "I'm busy. Didn't your Church drill some manners into you? Or did they just drill through your head?"

The Priest was taken aback by Ryudo's question. Clearing his throat, the follower of Granas smoothed down his robes and stood straighter. "I apologize for my rudeness, Ryudo. The Pope has called for you two. Please come to the Cathedral right away."

Ryudo scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Look, I realize word of my amazing singing voice has spread everywhere, but I'm not interested."

"His Holiness Zera has a special request. Ah, please bring your companions too." The Priest bowed curtly. "I beg my leave."

"The Pope has a 'special request'?" questioned Ryudo once he had left. "Sounds like the first line of a really bad joke."

"What kind of person is His Holiness Zera?" asked Roan innocently. The blond tapped a finger to his chin in thought. "I understand he is said to be 'The Sage Who Will Save the World'..."

"Which isn't nearly as impressive as 'The Sage Who Will Save His Breath'." The Geohound thought about their options for a moment...which were quite few. After giving a long sigh, he stood up. "This better be quick."

Leaving the inn, the four friends headed in the direction of the Cathedral. People they passed greeted them kindly enough. Unlike the previous places they had visited, the locals here did not seem to be living in fear. Protected by the Cathedral, the heart of Granas, there was no reason for them to be living in fear.

As Ryudo watched them, he felt a little jealous when he thought about it. With his life the way it was, filled with traveling to dangerous places, fighting monsters that could kill him if he made one wrong move, fear was not something he often had time to think about, but it was there. On top of that, why should these people live free from that fear of Valmar while others across the continent suffered? That thought made Ryudo detest Granas and the Church even more. If Granas was really so great, should not all be protected by him?

So caught up in his thoughts, and near-brooding, Ryudo did not notice they had reached the Cathedral until the four of them were practically upon it. Craning their heads back, the companions took a moment to study the marvelous structure.

"I'm...impressed," admitted Ryudo as his gaze fell upon the Cathedral. He may not have been one for religion, but even he could not deny the grandeur of the place.

Caught in the fading light of the setting sun, the pristine walls of the home of Granas glowed warmly. Panes of coloured glass caught the rays of the sun and sparkled. The arches of the structure pulled their gazes higher and higher, all the way to the very top of the middle spire of the Cathedral. Atop of the spire hung three orbs of magic; shining beacons of hope for all those that looked upon them.

"Quite remarkable in its proportions," grumbled Mareg. "The thoughts of its architect twist and wind almost palpably through the sculpted stone."

"How beautiful!" cried out Roan, grinning brightly. "It must have taken forever to build."

"One of the grandest structures ever built since the Battle of Good and Evil," said San, placing her hands on her hips. Eyes fell onto her, but, unlike before, she did not grow uncomfortable under their gazes. Smirking, she turned to Roan and flicked his forehead lightly. "There's a little bit of history for you."

The young blond chuckled lightly while a guard came up to them. "You must be Mister Ryudo and Miss San." The Geohounds looked to the guard and nodded. "His Holiness awaits in the Audience chamber." Taking a step to the side, the guard indicated with his spear to head through the main doors.

While he had almost been lost in the presence of the Cathedral, the reason why they were there sunk back in and Ryudo frowned. Looking over his shoulder, the Geohound saw the other three still marveling at the structure.

"Stop gawking," he chided. "Move it!" Not waiting to see if they were following or not, the brunet headed for the doors. Guards at either side opened it for them and the companions were allowed in.

Much like the outside, the inside of the Cathedral was just as grand. Smooth stone carved to perfection rose up, branching off to surround the various rooms and sections of the Cathedral. While the outside had felt warm due to the rays of the setting sun, the inside was cool and felt almost...frozen. Such delicate beauty. One wrong move and it seemed like it could shatter like a statue of ice.

The sound of faint hymns filled the air, mixing in with the light patter of footsteps on the clean floor. At any other time, Ryudo would have been amazed by the detail that was put into the finest of points of this structure. Now...well, he was no longer in the mood to be impressed.

"Mister Ryudo, and Miss San, is it?" asked the Priest they walked up to. "Please go inside." The robed man gestured to the doors behind him. Hesitantly, the Priest's eyes flickered over to the other two who stood waiting. "I am sorry, but your companions must wait outside."

That caused Ryudo's frown to deepen. "Didn't he say our friends could come?"

"He has important things to discuss with the two of you, so..."

"Oh, it is alright," said Roan before either of the Geohounds could argue further. "I don't mind. I can wait. Can I at least wait somewhere interesting?"

The Priest was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. His eyes lit up. "Ah, our library is most interesting! There you will find many important books about the doctrine of our Church."

"Mister Ryudo, can I talk to your really quick?" Before Ryudo could answer, Roan took the Geohound's hand and pulled him over to the side. The short boy stood on his tip-toes so that he did not have to speak loudly for Ryudo to hear. "There might be some interesting information at the library. I will check it out."

Ryudo arched an eyebrow. It was a good idea, he just did not entirely see the reason why Roan had to pull him over to tell him it. "Clever boy," commented Skye before the Geohound could say anything. "More clever than other little boys I know." It was not hard to see what Skye was hinting at. Ryudo was quick to shoot a glare at his friend. He had forgotten how much he had to restrain himself from wanting to punch that bird sometimes.

"Um... So may I lead you to the library?" asked the Priest, ending their conversation. Looking back to Roan, Ryudo saw him give a firm nod before returning to where they had been moments before.

The Geohound scratched the back of his head before muttering, "Go. Lead." He waved off the Priest, wanting to get out of this religious place as soon as possible.

"Well, then, Mister Ryudo, Miss San, please go in. You two, this way please... This way." Holding out a hand to gesture for Roan and Mareg to follow, the Priest headed off down the pristine halls of the Cathedral.

"Ryudo! San! We'll be waiting in the library!" Roan called out as he and the beast-man headed off.

"Yeah. We'll meet up with you later." Raising an arm, the Geohound waved at them before they slipped from sight. As he lowered it back to his side, he looked over to the one person that had remained. "Well, guess we shouldn't keep the Pope waiting, huh?"

Rubbing the back of her head, San glanced away with a slightly amused look in her eye. "Never thought I'd be hearing _that_."

A dry laugh escaped Ryudo as he reached to open the door before them. "Yeah, you and me both." Wanting to get this matter over with as quickly as possible, the Geohounds hurried into the Audience Chamber.

Each part of the Cathedral was more impressive than the last. Blue and amethyst orbs wandered, soaking in their surroundings. The floor was so clean and pristine that the architecture, and even their reflections, could be seen on its surface. As Ryudo looked down at it, he was tempted to wave a hand to test the clarity of the reflection. Hymns floated up, the slight echo in the room giving them a near-haunting quality. The arches carved into the clean-cut stones supported the high ceiling.

"The service is still in progress," informed another Priest quietly. Drawn from studying the Audience Chamber, Ryudo shot a light frown at the member of the Church. "Please be quiet... This way." Leading them down the aisle, the Priest was careful to tread softly. The Geohounds shared a glance before following the robed man down.

Since they were walking slowly, Ryudo's gaze traveled upward, and he could not help but gasp. A giant mural spread across the entirety of the ceiling. The mural depicted the Battle of Good and Evil. Forces of Valmar and Granas clashed in mortal combat, forever locked in the ancient war. Above the forces were the Gods themselves. Mighty sword in hand, Granas pierced the infinite darkness of Valmar. Even the Granacliffs, the scars left behind from that unforgettable battle, were depicted as being freshly carved by the force of Granas' strike that had banished the Devil.

Ryudo's eyes wandered down the mural and towards the far wall. A statue of an angel protruded from the wall, her massive wings encircling around a stain-glass window. Light flowed in through it, colouring the people and the remaining structures beneath it all the hues of the rainbow. It was there Elena stood, her voice mixing with a few others to fill the room with song. Many other members of the Church stood in audience, awaiting word from a finely-robed man who stood on an elevated section.

Seeing that they had stopped, the brunet quickly glanced over to see what the other Geohound's impression of this place had been. While he had allowed his gaze to wander all over the room, her amethyst orbs were still locked on the ceiling and the mural that was depicted there. Ryudo was surprised to see the look that was on her face. Rather than one of awe or amazement, or even frustration considering how she voiced her dislike of religion, she looked...sad. Expression sombre, San could not peel her eyes away from the images of Granas and Valmar.

Ryudo frowned in thought as he looked away before she could notice him. That sombre look... That expression that said more than words ever could... He knew it too well, for he had worn it quite often after the events surrounding his brother. The brunet had messed up, quite badly at that, the other night when talking to her. Next time he tried, he would not make that same blunder again.

"Bring to this world Light, Peace, and Harmony," said the elegantly-robed man as the hymn ended. Drawn from his thoughts, Ryudo looked up to the old man was he gave his speech.

"Your Holiness Zera, please calm our anxious hearts," pleaded a Father that stood in attendance. "What can we do to rid the world of the terrifying Darkness?"

"You must bolster your soul," answered the Pope. A smile spread across his aged face. "If you leave no chink in the armor of your soul, then the Darkness will be forced to leave." Ryudo had to hold back a scoff. What he would not give for some way to block out this speech.

"Please, save us from Valmar!" called out a new voice. Others rose up in agreement, adding their own pleas to the mix.

"You must not falter. We must not all give in to Darkness. I cannot save you. You must save yourselves." Calmly, Zera walked down the stairs to his audience.

"Your Holiness Zera! Please, lend me your ear!" That caused the audience to erupt in other such panicked pleas. Ryudo could only scratch the back of his head as he arched an eyebrow. For people of such devout faith, they certainly seemed to worry a lot.

"Quiet!" Zera's strong voice quickly brought the panicked-filled air to silence. Such a power and presence surrounded the Holy Man. "We are here to bring peace to the world. How can one do so in a panic? Everyone please...calm down."

A man garbed in violet robes took a step forward. "Yet, Your Highness, Zera, the recent rumors of the revival of Valmar are not going away," informed the elderly man. "I have even heard reports that the rumors might be true. Right, High Priestess Selene? At this rate, the Day of Darkness seems unavoidable!"

Ryudo bristled once he had heard the name. Selene, that self-righteous follower of Granas that sooner kill an innocent person than give them redemption, was here. Recalling the events that had played out in Mirumu, and the part she had in them, caused a scowl to cross the Geohound's visage.

"But we must not strike fear into the hearts of the people we are trying to save. Doing so would surely go against the will of Lord Granas! What do you say, Cardinal Oro?"

The man known as Oro gave a heavy sigh. "Ohhh... When the Day of Darkness comes, the world...will most definitely be destroyed!" Helpless, the man clothed in violet robes brought a hand to his head. "I don't know what we can do..."

Zera nodded at the Cardinal. His expression pensive, the Pope moved over to another member of the Church. "Selene, do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that the action the Cathedral Knights took was wrong. But you went too far. You must not frighten the people away from Lord Granas."

"Yes, Your Holiness..." muttered Selene.

"You must all remain on guard," continued Zera, switching his attention to the entire audience. "So that the Darkness cannot take advantage of you. Please, everyone, back to your rooms." He gave a wide sweeping gesture with his hand, dismissing his audience.

The followers of Granas bowed low to the Pope. Muttering phrases of thanks mixed with blessings, they began to leave. Making sure they were clear of the path, the Geohounds watched them as they filed out. Both of them could not help but glare at Selene as she passed. The High Priestess, on the other hand, paid them no heed.

"Ah, Mister Ryudo! Miss San! Please, come..." invited the Pope. The two Geohounds walked up to where the audience had been standing moments before. The only one of that mass that remained was Elena. Hands clasped before her, the Songstress had not brought herself to look at the Geohounds as they came forward.

"Nice speech," commented Ryudo, placing a hand on his hip.

"Please accept my apologies. I did not mean to make you wait. I am sorry for having called upon you on such short notice, but my request is not an ordinary one." Holding out a hand, Zera indicated towards a room off to the side. "Please, to the next room..." Leading the way, he headed off towards where he wanted to speak with them.

"Elena..." muttered Ryudo. It was rather unnerving, having her be so silent like this. With how she was acting, it felt like her hopes and dreams had been snuffed out in the moments she had been away from them. Her head still hanging, the Songstress was quick to follow after the Pope, not saying a word to either of the Geohounds.

"Just what's up with her?" questioned San quietly. The Geohounds shared a concerned glance with each other before they, too, headed after the Pope. Seeing Elena go from he normal bright and happy self to this...it did not sit right with either of them.

"I thank you for what you've done on Elena's behalf," began Zera once they were all inside the room. "But now, I have a special request to make..."

"Before we get to that, tell me—what about Elena?" asked Ryudo, crossing his arms. "Will she be all right?"

Zera sighed, as though the matter pained him more than the Songstress. "Ah, you ask if the presence of Valmar can be driven from her. Sadly, I must tell you that is beyond even my power. However," The Pope looked to the Geohounds, a hopeful look in his eyes. "If the Sword of Granas can be recovered, there may yet be hope for us all. This is why I have asked you here."

"Keep talking..." Ryudo tried his hardest to hide his interest, but some of it managed to slip through. If it meant that Elena would finally be rid of Valmar, be rid of Millenia, he was willing to listen. Though, he found it amusing, in a sad way, that not even the Pope himself could do anything about it. Perhaps the power of Granas was not as great as many made it up to be.

"I want you to find the Divine Sword, the Granasaber. The sword which slew the Dark One must be returned to us if the Light is to be restored to this world!"

"You still haven't made an actual request yet, but I get the idea."

San tilted her head to the side. "So, all this time after the Battle of Good and Evil, the Church still hasn't recovered this sword? Seems a bit lacking, if you ask me."

"Yes..." sighed the Pope, glancing off to the side shamefully. After a moment, he looked back up to them. "Elena has told me much. Enough for me to know that you are the only ones capable of contending with the Darkness. Naturally, this request must appear absurd to you. However, as your reward, we shall give you whatsoever you request."

Ryudo tapped a finger to his lips in thought. "Hmm... Suddenly, this conversation has become more interesting."

"At last, a language I understand," grinned San.

"However, when you depart, I wish for Elena to accompany you."

"Why bring her along?" asked the brunet, his eyes darting over to the Songstress for a moment. Still she did not look at them. Elena merely stood there, a silent statue that heard all but could say nothing. "You sure you don't want to cast a few wards against Millen...er, Valmar...instead?" He mentally smacked himself for nearly blurting out the redhead's name.

"Unfortunately, we can do nothing more for Elena now. We would be unable to protect her from Valmar even if she were to remain here. She will be safer with you, Mister Ryudo, Miss San."

"You're right. Your request is absurd." All the trouble they went through to get here...and the Church could not do anything for Elena. Ryudo fumed internally at the thought.

"The pieces of Valmar struggle for dominance, each attempting to devour the others in order that the Darkness will be restored. According to the prophecy, once the pieces unite, the Day of Darkness will come upon us, and all mankind will be destroyed."

"So what do we do? Sharpen a pointy stick?"

"How 'bout we just keep those possessed by the parts veeeeeery far away from each other," San commented dryly.

"Lord Granas has yet to recover from battle," explained Zera. "Thus, our world heads towards Darkness, lacking the guiding hand of Light. Were we to possess the Granasaber, we would, at least, be able to bring back some of the Light of Lord Granas. Then can Elena be saved and our world protected from the advent of the Day of Darkness."

"Any idea where this sword might be?"

"Unfortunately, our holy book only says that it 'rests within the Legion of Darkness'..."

"What, no directions?"

"I'm sorry, that's not vague enough for me. Could you be a little less specific?" Scowling, Ryudo tossed his hands up for a moment in defeat. "Bah... I need some time to think it over."

"I will wait until tomorrow for your answer," Zera informed them. "I have prepared rooms for you, so please stay here tonight. Ah, but I see that I have tired you. Rest and return tomorrow. But please, consider my offer... I hope you will accept it."

Ryudo arched an eyebrow at the Pope before glancing to Elena one last time. Still silent. She did not appear to be getting out of this sudden mood change any time soon. After looking back at San and tossing his head towards the door, the two Geohounds began to leave.

"Ah, Miss San, a moment." Surprised by the after thought, San and Ryudo turned back to look at the Pope before they could leave. "There are some things I wish to discuss with you further. I will not keep you long. Please."

Her brow furrowing, San looked back to Ryudo. The brunet could only shrug. He was just as surprised as her by the sudden request.

"Don't wait up. I'll join you guys in the library once done."

Skeptic, Ryudo glanced to the Pope from the corner of his eye. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

She smirked lightly. "Yes, great help that. Thank you."

A light laugh escaped him. It was foolish to have said such a thing to her. In a situation like this, she was probably capable of remaining more level-headed than he could. "We'll see you in a few, then," he nodded before leaving. Out in the small hallway between the room and the Audience Chamber, Ryudo had barely taken ten steps before he heard the door open behind him. Turning around, part of him expected it to be San, but, instead...

"Elena, what's with you?" he asked as the Songstress neared him.

Her hands still clasped before her, the brown-eyed woman finally looked up at him. The Geohound was taken aback by the pleading look in her eyes. "Ryudo, do as he asks, please... Not for me, but for everyone...the world!" she begged. Not giving the Geohound a moment to respond, she hurried back into the Pope's room, leaving Ryudo standing there rather perplexed.

Still perched on his shoulder, Skye clicked his beak once the door closed behind the Songstress. "Well, this has certainly turned out to be rather interesting."

After scratching his head, Ryudo gave a dismissive wave in the direction of the room and those inside it. "Bah, all of this is making my head hurt. Let's just go."

* * *

**A/N**: While I normally would finish this section in one chapter, I didn't want it dragging on for too long... So the events at St. Heim Papal State shall finish up in the next chapter! All I can say is, I had forgotten how much I loved Ryudo's lines when he's talking to the Pope. Gotta love that Geohound...

One step closer to Cyrum! Stay tuned!


	12. The Calling

**A/N:** Chapter 12! At last, an update! So sorry for the wait! School really ended up taking much of my free time. Here it is, finally. Better late than never.

A big thanks to Haku-BlackRose and XxXTwilight-SinXxX for the reviews! Sorry to have left you waiting so long to read more!

So, without waiting any more, let's get the St. Heim section done with!

* * *

XII

_The Calling_

Ryudo kicked at the ground in front of him as he headed down the steps in attempts to vent some of his frustration. This was just another reason why he hated religion. Not only did things take forever to get done, but matters were always done behind closed doors and guarded with secrets. Since the start of this job, he had had more than enough of all this hushed business. It had brought them nothing but complications during this journey. And, to top it off, just when he thought this blasted job would finally be finished with, he got asked to do yet another one.

Crying out in anger, the Geohound shoved the doors at the bottom of the stairs open. As soon as he entered into the Audience Chambers, his gaze traveled up to the mural that covered the ceiling. That had been the start of this entire mess. Ryudo could not hold back a glare at the images of the dead gods.

"What could His Holiness be thinking of? At this rate..." Drawn from his brooding, Ryudo looked over in the direction from where the voice had come from and saw Cardinal Oro talking to some other priests. The elderly man clad in violet robes was holding his head and shaking it.

"Cardinal Oro!" called out Ryudo as he headed over to where the religious men stood.

The elderly man turned around and raised his bushy eyebrows. "Ryudo, I believe was your name..." The Geohound coughed lightly, not really caring whether or not these people remembered who he was. Once he neared enough, he stopped and placed a hand on his hip. "Just what did His Holiness Zera tell you?"

Ryudo blinked in surprise, not quite having expected to be asked that. He thought the Cardinal would have had his own set of questions to grill the Geohound over. "Huh? He asked me to find some divine sword."

Nodding solemnly, Cardinal Oro stroked the long ends of his mustache. "I see. I question His Holiness' selection for his...emissaries. A task this great surely requires someone with more...experience."

This comment caused Ryudo to become slightly amused. It did not take much to see through the words that the Cardinal chose. "Careful with your words, aren't you, old man? I'd be as careful with my judgment were I you. Experience I have, patience I don't."

"Insolence!" barked out Cardinal Oro. His momentary flare of anger died down quickly enough. "Listen well, stripling...it is best to abandon your search, for it is not for a churlish whelp to find the Granasaber."

Cupping his chin in his hand, Ryudo stared at the elderly man pensively. After tapping his foot on the polished floor for a moment, he came to a decision. "Tell you what I'll do. I'm going to ignore you. And then I'm going to leave. You just stay there. Staaaaaay. Staaaaay. Good boy."

A noise akin to a whine escaped the Cardinal. "Ashes!" he then hissed out. "What could His Holiness Zera be thinking? That fool boy's insouciance will be our ruin when the Day of Darkness comes!" Waving his hands in Ryudo's direction, it was as though he dismissed the Geohound before he even left. "Aaaahhh, whatever shall we do?" Not paying Ryudo any more heed, Cardinal Oro, followed by the other priests, left him without so much as another word.

Pursing his lips together, Ryudo scratched the side of his nose as he watched the members of the Church leave. "Well, I think that went rather well, don't you?" he asked Skye, putting on an overly-happy expression.

The eagle-like bird clicked his beak. "It certainly was...interesting."

Ryudo quickly waved the matter aside, his expression returning to normal. "Bah, whatever. Let's just find Roan and Mareg." As his turned to leave, his gaze crossed over the door he had just come through. Whatever was going on back there, he hoped it was nothing too bad.

Not wanting to remain in the place any longer than needed, the Geohound hurried through the halls to find where the library was. All the pristine halls, pillars, floors...everything, unsettled him. The inside of the Cathedral was almost...too perfect. There was no warmth in the place. It was cold and nearly inhuman. Stunning, Ryudo could not deny, but a coldness lingered about the place and begun to cling to him. It was a feeling he could not shake from him as long as he remained in the structure.

When he found the library and entered, Ryudo let out a soft sigh of relief. This room, at least, held some warmth to it. Contrasting to the blueness of the other sections of the Cathedral, the library was a welcoming hue of yellow and orange. Shelves of books rose up to the ceiling, masking any details that may have been on the walls. There was a distinct scent to the place, thanks to the rows upon rows of musty old books that filled the shelves.

Sitting at one of the tables were Roan and Mareg, their attention focused on one of he open books before them. Ryudo could not help but smile wryly as he headed up to them quietly. Roan looked right at home in this setting, while Mareg seemed a little uncertain of how to proceed or act.

"Hmm... This script is unfamiliar to me..." grumbled out the beast-man, his deep voice showing the confusion he must have felt.

"Wow, this is really interesting," breathed out the young blond in amazement. Nothing seemed like it would be able to pull him away from the text he was reading. Making his footsteps a little louder, Ryudo stopped on the other side of the table and placed his hand down firmly, finally pulling both of them from their reading. Roan immediately snapped his head up, his bright-blue eyes blinking in surprise. As soon as he saw the Geohound, he smiled warmly. "Oh! Mister Ryudo! Miss Sa—" Looking to either side of Ryudo, the young blond appeared confused once again. "Where is Miss San?"

Ryudo waved his hand in the general direction of the Audience Chamber. "For whatever reason, Zera wanted to talk to her some more. She should be along soon...hopefully."

Appearing somewhat concerned, Roan nodded. "Anyway, what did he have to say?"

The Geohound pulled over a chair next to him and took a seat. Propping his head up with his hand, he grabbed one of the books and began to flip through the pages, not really paying attention to what was written on them. "You mean when he was actually talking out of his mouth? Nothing that wasn't completely ridiculous." He looked up and saw their expressions, and knew that he was going to have to say more than just that. After clearing his throat, the Geohound retold all that had happened.

"So he wants you to find the Divine Sword in order to halt the Day of Darkness?" surmised Roan once Ryudo finished. The blond closed the book in front of him and steepled his fingers.

Mareg sighed through his nose and crossed his burly arms. "A dubious undertaking: we walk unguided through shadows."

"The only clue is the words, 'The Divine Sword rests with the Legion of Darkness'..."

"You find anything else about that?" asked Ryudo, gesturing to the piles of books Roan had already accumulated on the table.

Sighing, the young blond shook his head and pouted lightly. "No... Not in this place..." His expression somewhat forlorn, he grabbed a couple of the smaller ones and glanced over their titles. "Anyway, Mister Ryudo, you ought to read some of these books, too. They have lots of details about Valmar and Granas, the Battle of Good and Evil, the Day of Darkness, and even the Divine Sword."

"Oh joy, a little light reading, just what I was hoping for," sighed the Geohound sarcastically. Returning to the front of the book he had taken at the beginning, he began to actually skim through its contents rather than not read it at all.

"Miss San! You're here!" called out Roan after a few moments.

Arching an eyebrow, Ryudo looked to the young blond. "Sure, so you notice when _she_ comes into the room, but not me."

Roan gave a quick laugh at Ryudo's comment before waving the blue-haired woman over. "What did the Pope talk to you about?"

Glad to take a break from reading the rather boring, and confusing, book, Ryudo slung an arm over the back of his chair and turned around to get a look at the other Geohound. For not having been way from him for that long, her look and demeanor had shifted quite drastically. Blood had drained from her face and she no longer held herself like she normally did. Slouched over, if Ryudo were to guess, it looked a though something had shaken her to her core rather badly.

Perched on her shoulder, Hisashi looked quickly to his companion before waving a claw lazily in the direction of their table. "He just wanted her version of what had gone on since the job began. Rather silly, really. I do believe he even tried bringing her over to the side of the Church. You know, for her to see the light and stop being a Geohound and all."

While her friend spoke, San remained completely silent and still. Narrowing his eyes skeptically, Ryudo studied her for a moment longer. "Hey, you okay, San?" he asked, honestly concerned. "You look like you've seen a ghost.

Finally looking up, San quickly licked her lips and tried to return to her normal stature. "Fine. Just don't like dealing with religious people much, let alone talking to the Pope privately like that." She shivered dramatically to show just how much of a discomfort it had been to her as she walked over to their table. "That man certainly knows how to string words together."

It was not hard to see that she was not explaining everything, let alone the truth. Ryudo bit on the inside of his lip in frustration. He wanted to find out what had gone on, but he knew now better than to pry into matters that dealt with her. If he were to find out ever, it would only been when she felt ready to talk about it.

Reaching out, San pulled some of the books over to look at the titles. After grunting slightly, she pushed them away. "Say, any of you guys hungry yet?"

Mareg quickly let out a deep laugh. "Yes. Dinner awaits in the other room, and books to not spoil or grow cold without use..."

Placing a hand over his stomach, Roan let out a quick chuckle. "Now that you mention it, I have gotten hungry again. And something warm would be nice... Mister Ryudo, do you think we could take a break from reading for now?"

"Yes!" exclaimed the Geohound quickly. Standing up, he closed the book he had barely read with a loud snap. All too eager, Ryudo hurried past San and into the hall. As soon as he did, a shiver came over him when he returned to the cooler section of the Cathedral. With the others not far behind him, he headed down the short distance of the hall to the neighbouring room. Upon entering, he saw the priest that was waiting inside. "I heard that dinner's ready."

Bowing his head to the group of them, the priest responded, "It will be ready very soon. Please wait a little while." Excusing himself with another bow, the priest left them to get settled.

:::

Wrinkled hand resting on the door handle behind him, Cardinal Oro let out a heavy sigh. "What good is it to chase after fancy now that the threat of Darkness is upon us? No one has ever found the Divine Sword..." His shoulders drooping, the Cardinal held his hands behind his back as he walked further into his room. "How can he be so nonchalant about matters of such weight?" Coming before the table that rested at the center, he stared down at the crystal ornament that rested atop of it. "I must consult my auguries for some means of holding back the Darkness!"

The Cardinal reached out towards the crystal and closed his eyes for a moment. Allowing the spiritual powers to flow through him, he awaited for the crystal's message to become clear. As he waited for a sign to show itself, the light from the moon that trickled in through the windows suddenly turned to a shade of blood-red and streamed in. Every corner of the room was touched by the light, leaving no shadows to remain. Before Cardinal Oro, his crystal suddenly turned black, the light from it completely dying out.

"This is...an evil sign..." His hands shaking, he shook his head helplessly. "The Day of Darkness draws near!" Opening his eyes, he gasped at he sudden change. "Wha-? This light!" Concerned, he headed over to one of the windows and peered out.

Standing on one of the arms that outstretched from a spire of the Cathedral stood a woman with crimson hair. With where she stood, Valmar's moon silhouetted her figure perfectly. Wings of darkness added to the ominous image that was created. Without hesitation, the woman flew off from the Cathedral.

Crying out in distress, Cardinal Oro stumbled backwards and into the table behind him. He, along with his belongings, crashed to the ground. Staring at what was no longer there, he held up a hand as though it would provide some defense. "Th-the Wings of Valmar!" he cried out, voice and body shaking. "Valmar, here in the Cathedral! Someone! Someone come, QUICKLY!"

:::

Mareg let out a satisfied sigh. "Truly, bread is the body's life as the earth is to all that springs from it; so also a fine bread is loam for the soul."

To his side, Roan let out a quick laugh at the beast-man's choice of words. "Well, this bread IS delicious." Looking up, the young blond noticed something. "Mr. Ryudo, are you going to eat?"

The Geohound had merely been poking at his food while the others ate. Finally putting his fork down, he let out a heavy sigh. "Guys... I'm going to look for that damned sword."

"I thought you would say that." Ryudo looked up in mild surprise at the young blond. Roan continued to eat his meal calmly, a knowing smile tugging at his lips.

"This sword interests me," grumbled out Mareg after tearing off a hunk of the bread in his hand. "For I have not before heard of its like."

"You two coming along?" Ryudo tilted his head in question, though he already was pretty certain what their answer would be.

"It was evermore my intent."

"Please let me come along too!" implored Roan.

Ryudo nodded at both of them. "I could use your help. I appreciate it." Glad he would not be tackling this mission alone, he then looked to San who sat beside him. Like him, she had barely touched the food before her. Since returning from speaking with Zera, she had been rather quiet, even for her. "What about you, San? Have you come to a decision?"

"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily," she joked, throwing him him a playful glance. Ryudo was a little relieved with that reaction from her. It meant that, despite whatever had gone on, she was still herself. "I'll still be tagging along... That is, if you don't mind..."

Ryudo quickly shook his head. "It'll be great having you help again." He had fully expected her to decline the Pope's request of finding the Granasaber. Whatever had really gone on in there after he left, he had a feeling it changed her mind. Not that he was complaining. When she had said she would be joining them, he felt glad.

"If it is as His Holiness Zera says, this has meaning for me too..." muttered Roan quietly.

Looking over, Ryudo blinked at the young blond in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Roan sighed, as though there were a heavy weight on his shoulders. "Well, you see..."

Before he could say any more, a Cathedral Guard burst into their room.

"Dammit, not again!" cried out Ryudo in frustration. "We're EATING!"

"Please excuse me." The guard gave a quick bow. "I am told that Valmar has taken human form and has entered the Cathedral! Have you seen any suspicious persons?"

"Huh? No, no one has been here," answered Roan, shaking his head.

"Please excuse the interruption. I must go!" Bowing again, the guard turned and left before anyone could say anything else.

"Must be Millenia," figured Ryudo, voicing his thoughts only once he was certain no one else would come charging in. "What the hell is she thinking?"

Leaving their meals behind, the group of companions left their room in search of Millenia. Followers of the Church hurried through the halls, some looking rather scared. Having Valmar in the very heart of the land protected by Granas must not happen very often, figured Ryudo. Moving as fast as they could without causing injury to anyone, they hoped to find Millenia before anyone else did. Ryudo did not want to think what the others of the Church would do to her if they found her first.

At last they reached the Cathedral Balcony. Ryudo then let out a sigh which was a mix of relief and annoyance. Standing atop the pedestal, bathed in the light of Valmar's moon that flooded in, was Millenia. Her ominous wings were outstretched, causing a slight shiver to run down Ryudo's spin as he walked up to her. The Darkness that was a part of her...he did not like being reminded of it.

Stopping a few feet behind her, Ryudo let out a long sigh. "Millenia..." The redhead kept her back turned to him. For a moment, the Geohound could have sworn that she was singing the same song he heard earlier in the Audience Chamber. She raised her hands up to the large windows, basking in the ominous red light. At last, she turned around, a smile of all things on her face.

"So, you're gonna look for the Granasaber... Right, Ryudo?"

"You!" started Ryudo, clenching his hands to fists. "What the hell are you doing here? You're practically standing on the Dinner Plate of Granas!"

Giggling, Millenia flicked some of her red hair back over her shoulder. "Oh, like I care." Placing her hands on her hips, she shot Ryudo a smug look. "If Granas ever wakes up, the big god can smack me stupid—long as I get to follow you around again...Ryudo..."

Faltering a moment, Ryudo shook his head. "Er... I don't think you've thought this through. See, when we find the sword, we're going to use it to stab evil people." He explained it slower than he normally would have to make sure she understood.

"Oh, you!" She let out another giggle. "You're concerned about me? No one has ever been such a...gentleman to me before!" She waved at him to dismiss the matter. "Just do what you think is best."

A sigh escaped the Geohound. "I don't think you understand what I'm saying here, Millenia..."

Her expression finally serious, Millenia said, "Don't worry about me. I know what I want, and we're running out of time..."

:::

The following morning, after waking, Ryudo and the others returned to the Audience Chamber. With the events of the night over with—Millenia had not been found by the religious people here—everything was calm once again. At the far end of the Chamber, the Pope Zera waited for them to draw near.

"Well, Mister Ryudo, Miss San. Have you made up your mind?" asked the Pope, his expression stern.

The brunet glanced over to where Elena stood quietly. She had her hands clasped together and her head hanging down. It was a little disconcerting to see her acting like this compared to the cheery Songstress he had almost grown accustomed to since the start of their journey. "One question," said Ryudo, looking up to Zera. "When we get the Granasaber, will it belong to you...er, the Church? And how will it be used?"

Calmly, Zera descended his pedestal. "The sole purpose of the sword is to strike down Valmar. As such, it belongs to none, for this great hope Granas has given to all."

"I'll take your word for it," sighed Ryudo, not having many other options at that moment. Placing his hand on his hip, the Geohound looked to his other companions that would be joining him on this journey. With one glance, he asked them again if they would still travel together. Relief came over him as each, in turn, nodded in answer to his unasked question. Confident once again, Ryudo turned back to the Pope. "Time to rock. We'll find the Granasaber. But not for the sake of Granas or the Church."

"Ryudo!" breathed out Elena, finally looking up. There was a surprised yet pleased smile on her face.

"Look, I'm sick of all the suffering in the world," Ryudo admitted, allowing some of his frustration be vented. "If Granas won't do anything about it, then SOMEONE has to."

A deep, throaty chuckle of surprise left the Pope. "Well, well, Mister Ryudo!" Huffing under his breath, Ryudo crossed his arms and looked away from Zera so he would no longer have to see the man staring at him. Though he was now technically helping the Church, it did not mean he liked it or religion. "Elena, you should leave now as well. Your soul brims with Light. Be strong in your mission, and do not yield your heart."

The Songstress meekly nodded. "Yes, Your Holiness Zera." Bowing low, Elena remained polite to the end. "Farewell."

"Lord Granas spoke to me last night," continued the Pope. Elena glanced back up, curious about what he was pertaining to. "I am permitted to tell you this: Ryudo must face the past should he desire the Divine Sword. You should remember this." Though the Pope did not speak to Ryudo directly, the Geohound still felt a shiver crawl up his spine at the words. He did not much enjoy hearing this information. "Ah, you should also take his along. It is sure to be useful." From beneath his fine robes, Zera pulled out a fairly worn tome and handed it to Elena. Bowing once again, she took it from him gratefully. "Elena, take care, and remember well our words."

"Your Holiness..."

Smiling, and without saying a word further, Zera walked off. Once he was gone, Elena finally came over to where the others stood. Her expression was still a bit more sombre than it normally would have been. Though she was smiling, there was something hidden behind her smile.

"Ryudo, San, thank you for accepting this request."

"I wasn't going to let a dainty little princess mince and prance about without her faithful and obedient bodyguard," smirked Ryudo amusedly.

At last, the Songstress laughed lightly. She might have been more grim than he was used to at the moment, but once hearing that laugh, Ryudo knew that she would be back to her normal self in time. And when that happened, he surmised it would begin to grow on his nerves once again. Elena's warm brown eyes shifted over to San expectantly.

Shrugging, the blue-haired Geohound gestured to Ryudo with her thumb. "What he said."

Laughing again, Elena covered her mouth with her hand. Her warmness was quickly returning to her demeanor. "Oh, you guys..."

"Miss Elena, we're together again!" laughed out Roan. Quickly, the young blond came up and hugged the Songstress tightly. Still smiling, Elena patted Roan on his back, a caring look shining in her eyes.

"Our paths are as one," grumbled out Mareg. "It is good."

"Thank you, everyone!" When Roan pulled away from her, Elena quickly bowed to all of them in thanks.

"C'mon, let's get moving." Tossing his head, Ryudo gestured for all of them to start moving. Spirits high once again, especially when compared to how they were the previous evening, the companions set off together once again. After exiting the Cathedral, Ryudo breathed easy. He was glad to finally start putting this place behind them. Placing his hands on his hips, he looked over his shoulder to the others. "Never thought we'd travel together again," he admitted, laughing lightly. "I'm counting on you, Elena. Okay?"

Already back to her normal self, Elena nodded firmly. "I feel the same way, Ryudo! San, Roan, Mareg! And Skye and Hisashi too!" She looked over each of them in turn. "I'm counting on all of you! This time, it might be more difficult for us."

"Difficult times are indeed upon us; welcome is the comfort of friends in this hour," rumbled Mareg warmly.

"We've made it this far together. I'm sure with all of us here again, we'll be just fine." San placed a comforting hand on Elena's shoulder, who looked over and gave the woman a smile in thanks.

"That's right," agreed Roan. "Traveling would not be fun at all without you, Miss Elena."

"But where to travel to?" thought Ryudo aloud, cutting their comforting comments short. "The Divine Sword is held by the 'Legion of Darkness'. We can't just knock on their door, grab it, and run."

The beast-man crossed his arms and let out a grumble in discontent. "I am not familiar with this 'Divine Sword'."

"I remember..." started Elena. All eyes fell to her. "In the holy book containing a passage... 'The People of Darkness continue to hide deep in the bowels of the earth'. Is it a metaphor, or is there more substance in it? Perhaps it is with these people that we shall find the Legion of Darkness."

"Perhaps..." muttered Roan when no one else spoke, "if we visit the Kingdom of Cyrum where I lived, we might learn the meaning of these words..."

"Got a lead?" asked Ryudo. Once again, he got the feeling that even Roan did not always tell them everything he knew. Having learned well from previous experiences, he did not question Roan in any more detail on the matter.

"No. I-I just thought we might learn something useful."

"What other knowledge have we which would intimate a course of action?" Mareg questioned.

Shifting his weight uneasily, Ryudo sighed and crossed his arms. "Something about confronting my past. Which probably means—"

"Melfice!" The beast man snarled at the mention of the demon-man's name. "Surely it could be none but he!"

"Melfice..." sighed Ryudo heavily. "A long time it has been brother."

"Now, now, you two..." started Elena before either of them could be swallowed up by the matter. "Anyway, the Kingdom of Cyrum... What is it like?"

"Well, the climate is warm and there is lots of water..." explained Roan, putting a smile back on. "Very good country..."

"We don't need a weather report, kid," commented Ryudo, giving a one-sided grin in amusement. "We need to find some leads. And we might as well start in the Kingdom of Cyrum."

"As long as it's away from this place, I'm happy with wherever else we look," commented San, stretching her arms above her head. Ryudo nodded in agreement. Even though it had only been for a night, he had spent too long at St. Heim Papal State for his liking.

"The Kingdom of Cyrum lies to the east of the St. Heim Mountains," explained Roan, pointing eastward. "Come on, let's go!"

* * *

**A/N:** Woo, next chapter is Cyrum! Been looking forward to that section for a while now.

Sorry again for the wait before I got around to writing this chapter...only to have it be so short in comparison. But, don't hold your breath waiting for the next chapter. It most likely be a while too since I start back up my second semester soon. Homework and projects shall once again get in the way...

Hope you enjoyed!


	13. Cyrum Kingdom

**A/N:** All right! It didn't take another 4 months before I was able to update again! Thank you to my readers and especially those that left reviews! Haku-BlackRose, TacoSparkster and Vivi239, thank you again! Every review means so much! This faster update and long chapter is for all of you!

At last, we reach...

* * *

XIII

_Cyrum Kingdom_

A bright and bustling kingdom met them on the other side of the gates. Compared to the previous places they had traveled to on this journey, Cyrum set itself away from all of them. People hurried along the cobblestone streets. There did not seem to be a sad face among them. The strong scent of the ocean filled the air, reminding them just how much this kingdom relied on the vast body of water.

Ryudo scratched his head as he soaked in the feeling of Cyrum. It had certainly been a long time since he was last in such a place.

"My, this town is bustling with activity!" laughed out Elena excitedly.

"The fruit of prosperity is in abundance," grumbled Mareg, his voice filled with warmth.

"This peaceful scenery is just a facade," came Roan from behind. Ryudo blinked a couple times in surprise. The tone of Roan's voice was not what he had come to expect from the young blond. Rather than cheerful, Roan sounded quite grim, and, Ryudo thought, wise beyond his years. Walking forward, Roan looked out across the buildings and people. "When the time comes, its true, ugly form is sure to show itself." The young blond yet out a heavy sigh before he turned back to face the others. "We, the people of Cyrum, are known as 'The Descendants of the People of Darkness'."

Elena gasped lightly and covered her mouth in surprise. On the other hand, by her side, San muttered out sarcastically, "That's quite a mouth full..." Brow arching, Ryudo shot a glance to the other Geohound. He had been a bit surprised at her sarcastic comment, seeing as she often took situations like this one more seriously than he would. The blue-haired woman seemed rather...unimpressed by the matter, busying herself with flicking off some dirt off her shoulder rather than focusing on what was unfolding before them.

Shaking his head, Ryudo pushed the matter from his mind and looked back to Roan. "So is the Granasaber in this country?" he asked, placing a hand on his hip. "What do you mean by 'descendants of the People of Darkness'?" His blue orbs traveled over the inhabitants of the kingdom. "Not like everyone's hunched over, rubbing their hands and muttering curses. You're saying that you're one of these 'People'?"

Roan's shoulders drooped drastically as he let out a sigh. "Yes, most probably have no memory of the People of Darkness. ...But only my people can never forget..." Standing taller, Roan pushed aside his sombre expression. "That is why I left to learn about the confrontation between Light and Darkness." The young blond let out a quick, but slightly forced, laugh. "Come, let's get a room first. Tomorrow we can start searching for the meaning of Zera's words!"

"Which one's the inn?" Throwing his arms behind his back, Ryudo looked over the buildings. The style of them was unlike any he had come across before. Everything was different and foreign to him.

"Over here!" Waving them to follow, Roan hurried off towards one. After quickly glancing up at the sky to judge the time, Ryudo continued on after the happy blond. Once they entered the building Roan was certain was the inn, Ryudo was tempted to shield his eyes. Inside was just as brightly colored as the exterior. It seemed as though the people here had attempted to hide their heritage by making everything as far away from "darkness" as possible.

The inn master that hung behind the front desk was chuckling to himself. On top of the ledger rested a smaller book that he appeared to be reading. Having reached the front of the group once more, Ryudo placed his hand firmly down onto the front desk to get the attention of the inn master. The look of amusement that had been on his face was quickly swapped with surprise as he looked up to the Geohound.

"Oh, guests!" After clearing his throat, the inn master stood up a little straighter. "You want to spend the night? Sorry, but I can't put you up tonight. What with the festival and all..." The inn master shrugged helplessly while Ryudo's expression began to drop.

"Festival...?" asked Roan softly. The young blond had sunk to the side of the group. Ryudo arched an eyebrow at Roan's actions. It was not like him to shy away so.

The inn master's eyes darted over to the young blond. "I've seen you somewhere..." Once he soaked in Roan's appearance, his eyes widened. "Oh my! Aren't you the pri—"

"Huh, who are you talking about?" interrupted Roan quickly. His bright-blue eyes shone with surprise and wonder. But, Ryudo could tell, there was a hint of worry behind his gaze. Roan was quick to hurry on to his original query. "You seem to be enjoying yourself. What is happening at the festival?"

After a slight pause, the inn master explained: "Oh, Oh, the day after tomorrow, the King himself will be holding a festival commemorating the founding of the country. I hear the King will be making an important announcement. All boys in the Kingdom are to meet at the castle. Maybe they found some treasure underneath the castle and they're gonna show it off."

Roan licked his lips apprehensively. "How odd..." he murmured out. "Something is afoot..." Cupping his chin in his hand, a look of deep concentration crossed his face. Once he seemed to make up his mind, Roan looked back up to the inn master. "Excuse me, sir. Can you please put my friends up for the night?"

"We don't have much, so..." Slightly nervous, the inn master's eyes darted from Roan to the rest of the group. Laughing, he put on a forced smile. "You can all stay for free."

Bewildered by what was going on, Ryudo did not notice that Roan had moved up to his side until the young blond tugged on the Geohound's sleeve. "Mister Ryudo, I must first go home. Please, spend the night here. I shall return tomorrow."

Ryudo blinked a few times in confusion. Just what was causing Roan to act so differently? Without waiting for a response, Roan hurried on out of the inn. "Okay, take care...then." The Geohound crossed his arms and sighed helplessly when it was clear the young blond had not heard him. "What's _with_ him?" The brunet scrunched up his face in confusion. "He doesn't want us to see his home? Or tent, or whatever." Rolling his eyes, Ryudo waved in a dismissive manner in the direction Roan had gone.

"There is nothing to be done; allow the cub his privacy, for if we would be so thoughtless as to follow..." trailed off Mareg.

Elena clasped her hands thoughtfully before her. "His family would be awfully surprised to see our strange party."

"Really now, are we _that_ odd?" snorted out San. Ryudo glanced at her sardonically, as did the others. The blue-haired Geohound let out a sigh and raised her hands, stopping any of them from answering her question. "Yeah, never mind. Forget I asked."

"Right." Sighing, Ryudo shrugged and tried to push the matter from his mind. "We'll take it easy for him, then."

:::

The group sat around their dinner table at the inn. Leaning back, the male Geohound scratched his shoulder.

"I guess we have some free time. Let's check out the town."

The other three nodded. Mareg was next to speak up: "The town bustles with colour; surely there are some amongst the many who have traveled here who know of the Divine Sword."

San shrugged, her chin resting on her hand. "It's worth a shot, but I think you'll have to be quite lucky to get some actual information. Legends mostly, I would assume. They may hold some truth...and sadly will probably all we'll have to go on in the end." She sniffed lightly in disapproval.

"So, you guys are looking for something, eh?" questioned the inn master, coming over to their table. "Why not go to the bazaar they're holding in the Castle Square? Lots of people come there from all around." With his thumb, he gestured outside and in the general direction of the bazaar.

"Lots of people from all around?" piped in Elena.

The amethyst-eyed woman glanced to Ryudo, raising her eyebrows in speculation. "Wouldn't hurt to check it out... Bazaars are normally a good place to get information."

Ryudo nodded at her. "Might be just what we need."

From the side, Mareg grunted. "Fables and legends hide truths which may yet be of use to us. I would hear those people's words. Elena. Perhaps you would like to accompany me as I search for these truths?"

The Songstress dipped her head in agreement. "Yes, that would be a great idea, Mareg." She gave one of her warm smiles to the beast-man.

Once more the inn master shared his knowledge of the city with them: "Ah, yes. At the back of the square you'll find someone named Hemble. He might just know something. But he's a difficult...man to deal with. He won't talk to you if he doesn't like you." His look took on a sour expression.

San calmly glanced to him, raising an eyebrow in question at the inn master. "Difficult...? What sort of person does he like?"

His response did not come for a few moments. "...Miss, just how strong is this young man here?"

The Geohounds looked to each other, Ryudo giving a slight shrug to show his opinion of the question. "Well, Ryudo is quite strong. Able to hold his own in many situations. I've come to trust him quite a bit," answered San. Her response produced the faintest of smiles from Ryudo. Once she finished her statement, what she said seemed to fully sink in, and she glanced down for a moment.

"Okay, then listen: When you go see Humble, make sure he knows what a wonderful couple you are."

Both Ryudo and San immediately looked up at the inn master, wide-eyed.

"A...wonderful couple?" questioned San. Ryudo tried to speak, but no words could come out from his mouth. Across the table, Elena shared with them a look of sympathy, while Mareg grinned in amusement for a second.

The inn master shrugged. "Like I said, he's strange, but he'll be sure to talk to you." His gaze switched from the now-stunned San to Ryudo who was just beginning to recover. "I tell you, buddy—you're a hell of a lucky guy to have a nice-looking girl like her. Shouldn't be too hard to play kissy-poo."

San bolted upright, a tint of red to her cheeks. "_What_? No way! Th-this wasn't part of the job description! I...!"

"Ah, did I say something wrong?" The inn master chuckled.

"San, sit down!" hissed Ryudo, gesturing for her to do so. Swallowing, San listened and quietly sat down without another word. "We'll figure something out. We at least gotta try something while Mareg and Elena are out." San seemed to shrink into her chair at the prospect.

:::

With a heavy sigh, San sat down on her bed. Raising his golden head, Hisashi eyed her for a few moments while there was silence. Then...

"Argh!" San flung herself back down on the blankets, running her hands through her hair. "What am I doing? Why am I so... Bah. It's just part of the job, right?" The Geohound rolled over to get a better look at the small dragon. "Who knows...maybe we won't even have to act as a...couple to get the information. Still..." She returned to lying on her back. "Ryudo should have spoken up against it right away... We have a job to focus on! He should know better..." Sighing, she stared at the ceiling above her as though he held the answers she sought.

Hisashi, in mild amusement, flicked his tail back and forth. "Just try not to enjoy it too much if you have to go as a couple," he practically smirked.

San looked over and blinked once at her friend. "What?" With a grunt, she lunged for the golden creature, but he was too fast for her and quickly flew out of her reach. "Bah! Hisashi!" Shaking her head, the Geohound lay down. "Goodnight," she grumbled before trying to fall asleep.

Little to their knowledge, Ryudo was having a similar conversation with his friend...

Ryudo paced around his room, soon tossing his blade to the bed. Skye perched at the base of it, keeping both eyes on his friend.

"You're going to wear a hole into the wood, you know. What are you mulling over?" questioned the bird.

"It's just... I don't...What is..." a long sigh escaped him as he attempted to restart his thoughts. "Why does this whole Humble thing seem so...bothersome?"

"Listen to your own minced words, Ryudo. Are you sure it's Humble that's bothering you?"

The Geohound looked over his shoulder, his brow furrowing. "And just what is THAT supposed to mean?"

If Skye had a more human face, Ryudo was certain he would be smirking right now. "You tell me."

Waving a hand, Ryudo tried to dismiss the subject. "I'm sure we'll think of something else. No use worrying over that little detail now." Briskly, as if to avoid any more comments or questions from Skye, Ryudo went to the bed and plopped down to fall asleep as quickly as possible.

:::

Warm rays of sunlight glinted through the gaps of the curtains and onto the sleeping form of Ryudo. The change in his surroundings was enough to cause the Geohound to stir from his slumber. Squinting, Ryudo raised his hand as he sat up. His mind was a dull blur in his newly-awakened state.

"You talk in your sleep, you know," commented Skye. Bristling, Ryudo looked around and spotted the eagle-like bird perched calmly on a bottom post of the bed.

"What?" he asked flatly back.

"You talk in your sleep," stated Skye once more. "Something about your home... And I do believe even a certain Geohound we know was mentioned."

Cheeks nearly glowing, Rydo scrambled out of the bed, rubbing his face in attempts to hide it. "It was nothing!"

Skye opened his beak to say more, but a knock at the door quieted him.

"Hey! Ryudo! You awake?" asked San from outside. "We gotta go to the bazaar. Or did you forget already?"

He blinked, gathering his thoughts back together. "Right! Just a second!" he called out in answer.

"Try not to have too much fun," Skye practically smirked. Pausing, Ryudo looked down at his friend as he grabbed his gear, fuming lightly. If San was not waiting, he would have tried to get the bird back for what he said.

"Hey. Hey! Ryudo! Come on already!"

"Hold your horses!" Ready, Ryudo opened the door and saw San already heading down the stairs. Once Skye flew out, the Geohound closed the door behind and quickly headed down to the landing, trying to keep his mind off the dream.

"Did you get any sleep?" questioned San at the bottom of the stairs, her amethyst eyes peering up at him.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Ryudo answered, "Just an odd dream. Nothing to worry."

"Well, looks like it's time to go to the bazaar then, guys." San dusted off her hands as she neared Mareg and Elena who were already waiting.

Even the inn master came up. "That's right. The bazaar is held in the Castle Square. Take care!" He clapped Ryudo on his back and headed off to take care of the inn.

"C'mon, let's go," said Ryudo.

"A moment..." interjected Mareg as the group began to move.

"What's up, Mareg?"

"As I understand it, more than two a couple does not make. It would be rather...odd were I and Elena to accompany you. We shall make our way to the harbor while you conduct your affairs."

"Good luck guys. We'll meet up again when we find something...or are unable to find anything at all," came Elena. Bowing her head to the Geohounds, she headed off, followed by the gruff Mareg.

"W-wait, guys... Don't..." muttered San after the two, too softly for anyone there to hear, though.

"Yeah, someone should check out the docks." Ryudo looked back to San, but had to quickly look away for his thoughts still lingered on the dream he remembered only fragments of. "We going?"

San swallowed from behind. "Yeah. Let's go."

Without a single word said between the Geohounds, the two of them traveled through the streets and made it to the Castle Square. It was bustling with activity. Music and voices filled the air, along with various spices and a salty breeze. Ryudo scratched the back of his head.

"I still don't see what the kid meant by these people being the 'descendants of the People of Darkness'," he sighed. When San did not respond to his comment, he looked over at her. She eyed the crowds as if searching for something. Blinking, she then looked to Ryudo and gave her response with a mere shrug. Looking past him, she pointed out to something.

"Hey, maybe that's our guy. If not...good a place to start as any," she muttered. Ryudo looked to where she pointed and saw a burly man in a sailor suit standing outside a tent.

"I guess he does seem a bit...odd for this crowd." Out of everyone there that they saw, only the sailor seemed to be in a foul mood. Why like that during a cheerful gathering did not make much sense to the Geohounds. The two shared a look before heading off in the direction of the sailor. They had to squeeze their way through the crowd before reaching his tent.

"You Mister Hemble?" asked Ryudo as San made her way beside him. "Know anything about a Divine Sword?"

The sailor gave the two of them a searching glare, and then grunted in disgust. "I don't talk to no one without a proper introduction." Puffing out his chest, the sailor crossed his arms.

San's face twisted in confusion but she put a smile on in apology and pulled Ryudo away from the tent. They weaved through the rest of the crowd and made it to the edge of the canal. Only once they were out of the man's sight completely did they sigh in relief and relax.

"Look, we should do what that guy at the inn said and act like a corny, schmaltzy couple. You know, hold hands and giggle and stuff." Ryudo was almost gritting his teeth.

"What?" asked San, taking a step back. "A couple? No way. I am NOT doing that." She crossed her arms in defiance.

"And why not?"

"I'm a Geohound, I don't do things unless I get paid," she answered, turning back to face him. Ryudo's expression fell and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hey! Just kidding!" San laughed once and the brunet sighed before giving her a light glare. "Are you sure we gotta act as a couple though?" she groaned. "Can't we just beat the information out of him?"

"I thought about that," he frowned. "But in this place...someone would be bound to notice, and I don't know about you, but I'd like to keep a low profile with this."

San let out a long sigh. "Are you SURE there's no other way?"

Ryudo blinked, crossing his arms. "You just being so against this because you're not getting paid or are you just a really lousy actor?"

Pursing her lips together for a moment, the blue-haired Geohound studied him for a moment. "I don't think it's MY acting skills that need to be questioned here." Her expression relaxing, and her usually tense position loosened up as she moved towards Ryudo. Leaning close, she made it so only a couple inches were between the two of them. "How are YOUR acting skills, dear?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Ryudo's heartbeat was so loud, he was certain she could hear it. With San that close, all he could do was swallow nervously. The tension was broken however when San stepped back and burst out laughing. It was not a moment too soon either and Ryudo breathed easy once more.

"S-sorry!" she laughed out. "I just...couldn't resist. The look...on your face!" San clutched at her sides as she calmed down. "Okay... So, couple it is?"

"Looks like."

"Alright then."

Blinking, Ryudo stared at her in question. "What are you doing?"

"Looking the part better," she grunted as she removed her cloak. "Hold this." She shoved the piece of clothing into his arms and then proceeded to remove her bracers, gloves, and the blue tunic, leaving behind her long-sleeved black top. While holding onto all that, San pulled up her pants to cover her boots and make them less obvious. "Thank you," she muttered, taking back the cloak from a nearly-stunned Ryudo who snapped his jaw shut. Quickly, she placed the gear inside the cloak and folded it so it became a make-shift pack. "Hisashi," she began, turning to her friend as she slung the pack over her back. "Search around and listen in on anything you can. See if you don't hear some information on the Divine Sword yourself."

"Right." Nodding, the golden dragon was off.

"So...you ready?" asked San. For one final touch, she reached back and let down her hair. Waves of blue were let loose and it took a moment for Ryudo to register her question.

"Yeah. You look...different, all right" he breathed, changing what he was originally going to say. He had never really thought about it before, but he did actually see her as fairly attractive—given that she was not coated in the blood of battle.

She arched an eyebrow quizzically at him. "Thanks? I think..."

Not trusting himself to say anything more at that moment, Ryudo held out his arm, and San took it gently, the two heading back off to the odd sailor.

Together, they made their way through the crowds one more time, and stopped in front of the tent. A few tense moments passed as Ryudo and the sailor, whom they assumed was Mr. Hemble, stared each other down.

"Mr. Hemble. Got a question for you," stated Ryudo, a light glare on his face.

"Oh so you two really are a couple?" Their assumptions had been correct: the sailor before them was Hemble. Shifting his weight, the sailor switched his glance to San, eyeing her up and down.

"Sure. We're smiling. We're holding hands. Why the hell else would we be so damned near each other?"

To his side, San giggled softly. "Oh, Ryudo. That's my man, always so amusing." As if doing it for a while, San placed her head on his shoulder, shifting closer to the brunet. It took all of Ryudo's strength to keep his reaction masked and his beating heart quiet.

Hemble let out an odd laugh. "I like it. So what do you want to hear about? Come into the tent." Upon his command, the two Geohounds followed the sailor inside. As soon as they entered, the two stopped dead in their tracks. It was rather...bright for one of Hemble's stature.

San leaned close to whisper to Ryudo, "Is that a dress hanging on the rack? Yikes..." The brunet snorted a laugh after a second.

"Say, you!" came Hemble as he rounded about, peering at San.

"Me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"So what do you see in this guy?" questioned the sailor, advancing on San. "Obviously, you don't know how to pick a MAN. You have SUCH bad taste!"

Both of the Geohounds bristled at the remark, reddening slightly in embarrassment and anger. "What? Why you little..." San began to growl.

"Easy, San," soothed Ryudo, his hold on her tightening to keep her from lunging at the man to attack and to keep her by him.

"He may be somewhat good looking, but why would you pick a BOY who would lose to someone as...marvelous as me?" Smirking, Hemble flexed to show off his sailing muscles. Eyes flashing, he gave Ryudo a look that said he was better than the young Geohound. "Weak men are worthless. I, on the other hand..." Once more, he took another step towards San.

Ryudo took a step forward in defense and raised a fist to Hemble. "I don't have time for this. If you want me to put a foot up your mouth, then just come out and say it!"

"Tsk, tsk. And what a temper! I can't believe you'd hang around with a boy like THIS." Hemble sneered at Ryudo. "He's no good for you. No good at all."

"What?" San practically yelled, taking a step forward to match Ryudo's level and then went beyond. "Ryudo is a much better person than you are! And he's even more of a man now than YOU! You self-centered, arrogant, egocentric, creep! If it were down to you and Ryudo, I'd put my gold on Ryudo any day without a moment hesitation!" she fumed. Pulled back from his own anger, Ryudo took a moment to blink at San in surprise for her vehement defense. "For your despicable behaviour, why, I oughta cut yo—"

"San! San, San," calmed Ryudo, moving in front of her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "I'll take care of this."

"Is that so, my dear?" asked Hemble, peering around the young Geohound. "Well then, we will have to find out, now won't we? The game is arm wrestling," he challenged to Ryudo, rolling up his sleeves. "Your strength against mine. And to make it interesting, if I win, I keep your parrot." Skye, who remained on Ryudo's shoulder this whole time, snapped his beak at Hemble in defiance.

San faced Ryudo, her cheeks still flushed from her anger. "Ryudo! You CAN'T lose to this jerk!"

Despite the situation, Ryudo managed a smirk. "Not planning on it."

Huffing, the two men went to the table at the center of the tent and sat down, placing their elbows on top of it. Hemble wore a smug expression, while Ryudo continued to glare. They took each other's hands, waited a second, and then the arm-wrestling match was off. At first it seemed like a fairly even match, each of the men able to hold their own, but as it went on...

"Come on, Ryudo..." whispered San from the sideline. The Geohound began to show signs of straining first. Though quite capable, his raw strength was proving to be less than desirable in this situation.

"Try harder, little man. Your parrot will soon be mine!" taunted Hemble, gaining the lead in the match. Like she mentioned before, San had come to have faith in Ryudo...but everyone needed a little help now and then, and he was no different.

"Hey, Hemble. Your uh...nose hairs are sticking out," commented San, looking to the sailor.

It was just the distraction that was needed.

"Ach! This cannot be! My mirror! Where is my mirror?" he questioned, glancing up at her. Ryudo seized that moment of confusion, and overtook the sailor. A cry of victory escaped him as the Geohound jumped up, glad to be done with it. Hemble, on the other hand, was in a shock. He stared first at San, and then back to the triumphant Ryudo.

"Oh! My bad. It wasn't a nose hair after all, just your face," smirked San.

"Horrible! Horrible!" Hemble began to cry out. "And I was going to teach the parrot to tell me how wonderfully magnificent I am!" He began to tear up.

Both of the Geohounds let out an annoyed sigh. "Just tell us about the Divine Sword."

"Huh? I don't know anything about it..."

Grunting, Ryudo threw up his arms and looked to San. "Now he tells us. This was a complete waste of time."

San let out a single chuckle and began to head out. "What were we even thinking?" They exited, and were met by the noises from the bustling bazaar.

Once the fresh air hit their faces, San began to laugh as she rubbed her face. "Man, I haven't had fun like that in a while!"

From her side, Ryudo let out a chuckle. "Yeah... Hey, Skye. Mind taking after Hisashi and see if you can't find any information out there? You know, make sure you don't become pay in any other bets."

The eagle-like bird let his gaze linger on Ryudo for a moment before nodding and flying off without a word. The Geohound was a bit surprised, but he was glad for the lack of protest from his friend.

"So...what are we gonna do now since that was a total waste of time?" asked San, placing her hands behind her head.

"Take a break?" suggested Ryudo as they meandered along.

"A break?"

"Yeah. I'd say we deserve one since this crazy job started. Don't you?"

San grinned slightly as they paused. "Yeah. I guess we could use one. But, y'know..." began San as they started to head through the crowded Castle Square. "You owe me now."

Ryudo blinked and faltered in his step for a second. "What? Owe you?"

"Yep."

"And why the hell do I owe you?"

The blue-haired Geohound smirked in triumph. "For being a wonderful actor back there, and helping you win."

"Help me win?"

"Didn't you notice? It was thanks to me distracting him that allowed you to win."

He blinked then coloured lightly and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah...but...not as though we got anything useful," he tried to rebuke.

"Mhmm. And what if it had been something we needed? THEN where would you be?" San's victorious smirk widened.

"Yeah...well..." He let out a sigh as they neared a bench on the other side of the Market Square. "Thanks," mumbled Ryudo softly.

The smirk of San's transformed into the slightest of smiles. "You're welcome. Now..." She sat down on the empty bench and sprawled out her legs. She may have looked more like a lady with her slight gear adjustment, but in the end, she was still the San he had come to know, and even enjoyed being around. "How will you pay me back?"

"I, uh...well..." He fumbled for an answer.

"Alright, alright. I'll pick. How 'bout you..." Ryudo blinked while waiting for her request, his throat starting to go dry. "Get me a drink? There was a stand back there, 'round the fountain." She pointed through the crowd in the general direction of the drink stand.

"Alright. Two drinks it is then. Wait right here." After a quick motion for her to stay, Ryudo headed back off through the crowds to the drink stand. He had to squeeze by a group of people to reach it. "Two drinks."

"What types would you like?" asked the kind-looking woman.

"Uh, well..." The Geohound placed his hands on his hips for a second. "What is there?"

"We have the Delectably Desirable Passion Juice."

Ryudo practically jumped at the name. "The what?"

"Give it to the person you love and they'll be certain to fall in love with you!" she smiled at him.

"Er...what else you got?"

"The Fountain of Knowledge. One sip from this and you are sure to get smarter!"

In annoyance, Ryudo placed a hand to his forehead. "Got anything normal? What about that? The drink back there?" He pointed to a rather plain-looking jug that was set further back than the rest.

"That? Oh, that's the Cyrum Punch. Made from various fruits that are local to the Cyrum Kingdom."

"And why is the one normal drink hidden from the rest? Bah, never mind. I'll take two."

"Right away, sir!" she smiled before she got the drinks.

With the juice paid for, the Geohound quickly left and made his way back through the crowd towards the bench. This time he had to be more careful as to not spill the punch.

"Ah! That was fast," commented San as she stood up to receive her drink. Gone was the transformation she had undergone and the woman standing before him was the Geohound he had come to recognize. She took a small sip. "Mmm. Not bad. What is it?" Ryudo gave her the answer. "Huh. ...Alright. So. What do we do now?"

"We...take our break?" he suggested and she rose up.

"Sounds good to me." San gave a genuine smile to the brunet, one that made his heart skip a beat. With a nod and a slight smile of his own, the two Geohounds headed off to see what the bazaar had to offer. There were many shops people had set up, each selling different things from fresh food to jewelery. San made them stop at the jewelery stand for a moment, teasing Ryudo with how the pieces fit him perfectly. With San chuckling and Ryudo frowning to hide his amusement from that, the two headed back off.

"What's this?" asked Ryudo when they came up to another stall. Several people were just walking away from it, chatting lightly.

"Step right up you two! Try your luck at catching one of our fishes! If you catch one, it'll bring you luck for the day." The man behind the counter grinned at the Geohounds. Sure enough, when the two got closer and looked down, the large tub was filled with over a dozen goldfish.

The brunet blinked, looking back up. "For the day?"

"Yessir. Would you care to try? It's very simple," offered the man. Without waiting for an answer, he held out a fishing rod to Ryudo and waited. With a shrug, the Geohound took the fishing rod and placed the bait by a fish. It did not bite. Grunting in annoyance, he moved the bait closer to the fish, but succeeded only in scaring it away. "Wup! Keep on trying there, sir!" laughed the man.

"I got this, I got this." Concentrating, which he was surprised that he did for it being just a simple fishing game, Ryudo moved the bait over to the smallest fish there. Surely the small one would be tempted the most by some bait. "Aha!" he cried out in success as his plan worked. He brought the fish up to look at it a moment before setting it back into the water.

"Well done, sir!" congratulated the man, taking back the fishing rod. "May Lady Luck smile upon you today, and here..." He brought forward a flower. "A prize." The man motioned for Ryudo to lean forward. Blinking, the Geohound did so, and the man whispered, "I'd give it to your lady friend, if I were you." Moving back, he gave a friendly wink to Ryudo before moving on to the next customer.

Standing there a moment longer, soaking in what he was just told, Ryudo blinked and looked down at the simple flower.

"Hey." San snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Did that guy cast a freeze spell on you, or something?"

"Huh?"

"C'mon, we still gotta check out other places." With a nod, the Geohounds headed back through the bazaar. They paused at a couple games, and made sure to ask about the Divine Sword whenever they could. No one had any information. With getting a better idea on where they would have to go next, the bazaar was proving to be useless. But in other regards...it was quite helpful. Ryudo looked over to San who had a smile on her face.

"Hey, what are they doing over there?" she asked, pointing to a corner of the Castle Square. The brunet looked to where she was pointing and blinked. A tent was set up, and a couple performers were playing music and dancing. Both of them had ears and tails of animals, reminding San and Ryudo of Mareg. Drawn by the music, the Geohounds headed over to the small crowd and listened. "I've never heard a song like this before," muttered San quietly. "It's so...so...I can't even find a word for it!" she chuckled.

Ryudo nodded at her description, or rather the lack of it. A silence fell between them as they listened to the uplifting song. The brunet glanced down to San and saw her eyes closed peacefully, a warm smile across her face.

"I like this... No past... No job... No future to worry about... Just a blissful moment... Let's stay like this a while, alright?" Her amethyst shone up at him, a smile in them. Unable to find his voice, Ryudo could only nod at her. She was right. For a brief moment, they had nothing to worry about. This was now truly a break from their job.

"Here," he mumbled, glancing away. Without looking at her, he held out the flower he had won to her. Cheeks going red, he dared not face her to see if she took it, or to see the reaction on her face. Had he, Ryudo would have seen the small smile find its way across her lips.

"Thank you," she whispered, taking it from him. Only now did he look back at her once the song ended. San nodded to Ryudo before walking forward to the boy who had been dancing and playing the song. "I really enjoyed your song. And your dance too," she smiled at him.

"Everybody knows this song. When I sing, people cheer up. That's how I make people happy, Miss—with music!" he grinned at her.

San chuckled and nodded. "It was very nice." From where Ryudo stood, he smiled as San returned to his side. She could be the fierce Geohound he first met, but she had shown him today a warmer side. A side he hoped would not be forgotten when they returned to the job at hand.

"Hisashi!" San called out. Ryudo looked over his shoulder and saw the little golden creature fly in and perch on San's shoulder. A second after, Skye returned to his. Their break was over now. No matter what was to come, he sure was not going to forget it. Smiling, he looked back to San who grinned softly at him. She was not going to forget it either.

"Looks like everyone's flocking back together," commented the eagle-like bird. Following his companion's gaze, Ryudo turned around to see figures approaching them through the crowd. One was easily recognizable even at a distance. The large form of the beast-man Mareg stood tall above the others in the crowd. Following in his wake, the smaller form of Roan nearly got lost. Ryudo blinked in surprise. Though part of his surprised state was due to the young blond having returned now, the main reason was due to...

"Millenia?" called out the Geohounds in surprise, while Ryudo went on to add: "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Once the trio neared the Geohounds, Millenia put her hands on her hips and shot a light glare to Ryudo. "And just what is THAT supposed to mean?"

Crossing his arms, Ryudo returned the heated look. "Every time you show up, bad things are not far behind."

Millenia flicked some of her red hair back over her shoulder and scoffed lightly. "Oh please, you can hardly jump to that conclusion."

Fingers were held up as Ryudo began to list off their previous encounters with her. "Let's see, first there was Carbo, then Agear, followed by the tasteless town of Liligue, oh, and let's not forget Aira and those blasted nightmares!"

At a loss for a response, Millenia could only twirl a lock of her hair between her long fingers and glance away. It certainly was a tendency of hers to show up when things were starting to take a turn for the worse.

"That's not the problem!" interjected Roan, taking a step forward. "Right now, there is trouble in the castle! Quickly! We must go there!"

"And how exactly are we gonna do _that_?" questioned San. The blue-haired Geohound crossed her arms, a slightly worried look passing over her face. "I don't think they'll let us into their _castle—_no matter how we say please, and bat our eyelashes."

"Don't worry. We can take the waterway around and get into the castle from the rear gate."

After a moment's consideration, Ryudo shrugged. "Doesn't sound too difficult."

His height shrinking some, Roan seemed to try to hide beside the massive Mareg. "I do not want to be seen. Please, hurry. The boat is over there!" Still nearly frantic, the young blond pointed in the direction of the canals. Once it was clear that he would not be making the first move, Ryudo sighed and headed off in the direction that had been pointed out. With Mareg now in their wake, it was much easier to make their way through the crowds. Not many people seemed to want to get in the way of the beast-man.

The Geohound could not help but become slightly annoyed at the turn of events. When they had come to Cyrum, this was not what he saw himself doing while here. He had expected them to be asking around, and maybe stopping off at an old library to gather information, not be running off to the castle to see what was wrong. That was another thing that caused Ryudo's brow to furrow: why was Roan so concerned? Sure, Cyrum was his home and all, but it was home to everyone else here, and yet they were not showing the slightly signs of being worried. Just what was it that set Roan apart from them?

"Mister Ryudo! That's it! That boat. Please hurry!"

Glancing over to the waters of the canals, Ryudo saw the boat—which was as brightly coloured as the rest of the city—that Roan spoke up. It did not take much longer for them to reach the stairs that led down to it. Moving faster now that no one else was around, Roan was first to scramble into the boat. Hanging back, Ryudo made sure he was last to board. Freeing the boat from the ropes that secured it to the dock, the companions were soon sent gliding down the blue waters of the canals.

"What's the trouble at the castle about?" asked Ryudo, glancing over his shoulder at the young blond.

"The royal family here has a dangerous secret that could spell disaster...!"

Things were confusing the Geohound more and more. "Hey, hey. Just who _are_ you, Roan?"

Slamming his hands on the side of the boat, Roan stood up promptly. Though he was small, his actions still caused the boat to jostle. San reached out and pulled him back down by the hem of his shirt before he could somehow managed to tip them. Though siting once again, Roan was no less calm. "That Gate must not be opened...ever!"

A tense silence fell over them. Facing the front of the boat, Ryudo scowled deeply. As if Millenia appearing did not give him a bad enough feeling, the brunet was getting an unsettling inkling that things were about to go bad...very soon.

"Dock here!"

Grunting, Ryudo followed Roan's request. Tossing out the rope, he secured it to the post on the dock. Once they had completely stopped and were secure, the companions scrambled out one at a time. Like when they had climbed onto the boat, Roan was the first to move. His anxiety was starting to spread to the others in their party. Without saying anything else, the young blond scaled up the stairs two at a time. Now that there was no longer any other citizens of Cyrum nearby, he did not seem preoccupied with trying to stay out-of-sight.

"Prince Roan, you must hurry! Menory is waiting!" called out a guard once they reached the top of the stairs.

Ryudo stopped dead in his tracks. "_Prince_?" The young blond in their party was really part of a royal family? Nearly flabbergasted, Ryudo shook his head and continued to where the others waited.

"I will explain later!" Dismissing the matter with a wave of his hand, Roan went over to the hatch the guard had just opened for them. "This is where we get into the castle."

"Prince Roan, these corridors have not been used for a while. Monsters have taken over them," warned the other guard that stood waiting.

"Do not worry. I have my friends with me." With a firm nod, Roan hurried over to the open hatch. Ryudo, about to follow, stopped when the first guard came up to him.

"Please take care of the Prince! The entire country is relying on you!"

"_Entire country_...?" coughed out Ryudo. This information did not comfort him in the slightest. He never did like having such weight of responsibility put on his shoulders. What would happen if they failed to accomplish whatever it was Roan hoped to achieve? If there truly was such a horrible problem, what would happen to the rest of the people if it came to pass? Shaking his head, the Geohound tried to push the thoughts from his mind before he was allowed to follow the young Prince down into the old passageways.

Dank and damp were the first words that came to his mind. Jumping off the last few steps of the ladder, Ryudo spotted Roan standing not too far away. The young blond was looking at the rather run-down passageway.

"I didn't think it would be like this..."

"As long as we can make it through without the ceiling collapsing on us, it'll be fine," commented Ryudo, crossing his arms. The constant sound of running water filled the air, mixed with noises that came from stuff crumbling and falling down. If he listened closely enough, the Geohound swore he heard the low hiss of monsters that infested the passageway.

"What're are you guys doing standing around? Let's get going!" chided San as she came from the ladder. Drawing forth his sword, Ryudo readied himself for whatever may surprise them in the darkness.

Traversing the passageway was a fairly slow process. Light was very minimal, and thus it was hard to see where they were going exactly. More than once already, Ryudo had stubbed his foot against some rubble. A curse escaped his lips with each blunder. If Roan had wanted them to reach the castle faster, he should have thought about bringing some light source for them.

"What was that noise?" asked Millenia. Stopping, they all made sure their footsteps would not overpower the sound Millenia spoke of. Between the water and faint sounds of monsters, a new noise could be heard.

"Well, I'll be...!" laughed out San. Hurrying forward, San made her way, with minimal stumbling, into the room ahead of them. The others, being slightly more careful with their footing, followed.

"What is it?" questioned Roan, craning his head around to try and get a look at what San had crouched before.

"Wait, I recognize that sound." Smacking his forehead, Ryudo let out a bark of a laugh. "It's a Carro!" The cry of the small creature was hard to mistake for anything else. The Geohound's brow was quick to furrow in confusion. "Wait, just what are you doing there anyway, San?"

"Helping to light our way by a means other than magic," she explained. The Carro before her let out a cry of happiness and began to chew down on something.

"Exactly _how_ are you gonna do that?"

"Just be quiet and wait," she sighed back. It did not take long for Ryudo's patience to grow thin. Glancing over to Roan, he could see that not even the young Prince could wait much longer. Just before the Geohound was to press the matter once again, the Carro squealed out in joy and did a back-flip. Ryudo, along with the others, let out light cry in surprise. "See?" Before San rose, the little creature climbed up to her shoulder. Its tail, which was now glowing a warm red, was held out, illuminating much of their surrounding area. An amused grin tugged at the blue-haired woman's mouth. "They like Poff Nuts, remember? Feed them enough and, well, this happens!"

Ryudo tapped his foot against the ground. While it was all well and good now that they could see, something still bugged him: "Why didn't you just use your magic?"

San sighed, shifting her shoulders slightly so the Carro could sit better. "A more discrete arrival would be better. This little guy will help with that."

"Good thinking, San," praised Roan, though he was still quite anxious. "May we continue now?"

Shrugging, Ryudo held out his hand in the direction they had to continue down. "Light the way."

With their path now illuminated, traveling through the passageway was much faster. It was a good thing too, for at some points, the canal that ran alongside the passageway blocked their path completely at some points. It was only with activating some rather old switches and levers that they were able to continue. What the guards earlier had said about monsters was true enough, for even this short journey came with some battles.

Wiping his blade clean, Ryudo scaled the flight of stairs before them. Roan had voiced earlier that he believed they were close to the castle by now. But, since he had never traveled this passageway before, he had no way of knowing for certain.

"Hey!" called out Ryudo. Skidding to a stop, he tried to chase after their source of light. As they had turned down another hall, the Carro that had stayed with them through all the battles down here had scampered off of San's shoulder, and off towards a small hole in the wall.

"Leave it alone, Ryudo," came San. "We can't make it go farther than it wants to."

"Wanna bet?" Dismissing the Carro with a quick wave, Ryudo returned to the front of the group. The hall they were in was a short one. It did not take long for them to come to the large room at the other end. Darkness began to press in on them, threatening to consume their sight. Were it not for a single sliver of light, the shadows might have very well taken a hold of them.

"We're here!" cried out Roan. Rushing forward, the young blond reached the sliver of light that broke through the otherwise solid wall. Pressing his hands against the cool stone, he seemed to be searching for something. Soon, Roan was pushing all of his weight against the wall. "Help me, please!" Ryudo began to step forward to lend some assistance, but stopped once the large girth of Mareg reached the wall. What Roan could not do with all his weight, the beast-man was able to achieve with a simple push of his hand. Grudgingly, the wall began to move.

Once there was enough of a gap, the companions hurried on through while Mareg kept it open. After the beast-man slipped through, the wall quickly closed back on itself, leaving no proof that the secret door was there.

Ryudo had to blink several times for his eyes to adjust to the bright light. It was quite a change after coming from the dark passageways. That, and, much like all of Cyrum, the inside of the castle was coloured in such bright tones and shades that Ryudo thought he would be sick.

"Quickly!" Waving them to follow, Roan turned down the empty hallway to a large set of doors. These he was capable of opening on his own. Still moving as fast as he could, the young blond rushed into the room on the other side.

Ryudo took a moment to soak in the design of the fairly small room. Compared to everywhere else they had been, it was almost grim-looking. The designs etched onto the walls and floors, while not ominous in their own way, gave Ryudo a slightly troubled feeling. All that was in this room was a lone, old man at the center, and another set of doors on the far wall.

"Menory! Is the Gate of Darkness safe?" asked Roan, finally stopping once he reached the man's side.

The robed man turned around on his chair to face the young prince and his companions. His aged face showed signs of surprise once his eyes fell on Roan. "Ah, Prince Roan! You have come back safe... Thankfully, the Gate has not yet been opened. Yet I feel a strong power behind it."

A sigh of relief escaped Roan, and he finally seemed to be able to relax a little. "Thank you, Menory, for doing a good job of guarding the Gate of Darkness while I was away." Making a noise of realization, Roan quickly turned back around. "Oh, my friends, let me introduce Menory, the Demon-Sealer..."

A surprisingly warm chuckle escaped Menory. "Prince Roan, I am honored by your words. Guarding the Gate of Darkness is the role of my people..."

"Now what exactly _is_ that door...?" asked Ryudo before the introductions could drag on for too long. Crossing his arms, the brunet stared back up at the oddly-decorated door.

"Ah yes, this is the 'Gate of Darkness'." Roan's shoulders fell slightly as he looked back to the large doors. "More proof of our heritage as the 'People of Darkness'," he added bitterly. "It is said that it will open when the People of Darkness have regained their pride. The power of Darkness is said to lie on the other side of the Gate. It is also said that it may trigger a great disaster...or even war."

"Prince Roan, if I may interrupt..." began Menory. "The other day, His Royal Highness had words of praise for me. But that is not all... Astonishingly, His Highness said that...soon there will be no more need for me to guard the Gate of Darkness!"

"WHAT?" blurted out Roan, completely taken aback. "So father also knows that the Gate of Darkness will open... How odd..." The young blond shook his head after a moment, clearing his thoughts. "But I still have the key."

"What key?" questioned Ryudo.

"This is it." Reaching his hand beneath his top, Roan pulled out a small object. The cool metallic surface glinted once the light touched it, and the Geohound was able to immediately recognize it for the medal they had helped him reacquire some time ago. A weak and wry chuckle escaped Ryudo when he saw it. Things had felt a bit...simpler back at that time. Matters certainly had changed for all of them.

"Yes, the medal that the Prince took with him when he left the kingdom," nodded Menory. "It is the key to the Gate."

"Go figure," snorted out Ryudo. "I thought it was a necklace to go with your tiara. Er...back when we first helped you find it, of course." When Ryudo saw the look Roan gave him, the Geohound immediately decided to stop making such jokes for the moment. "Huh, so it' real..."

"Yes, this medal is the precious key that my family has guarded for generations. It is also a memento of my late mother. This medal is passed down to the one who will inherit the throne. He must decide if the Gate is to be opened. And yet..." Roan's shoulders fell as he slipped the medal back beneath his clothes. "What does father intend to do with the Gate?"

"There are only two things you can really do to a gate," started Millenia. The redhead held out her hand and raised two fingers to illustrate her point. "Open or close it. Maybe you should ask your father about this."

Slowly, the young blond nodded. "I agree." To Menory, he asked, "Where is the King?"

"His Highness must be in his office on the top floor."

"Come, we must determine my father's intent!"

Stepping to the side, Ryudo gestured for Roan to lead the way. Without a moment's hesitation, Roan started off, the others not far behind. Had Roan not been with them, Ryudo could not help but wonder how long it would have taken before they go lost. He always believed that castles would be confusing, but this was bordering on the ridiculous. That, and all the bright colours were starting to give the Geohound a headache, making things that much more uncomfortable for him.

Servants and guards bowed to Roan as they sped by once they realized that it was the young Prince who had returned. Other people, whom Ryudo suspected might have been officials or nobles of sorts, tried to get Roan to stop so they could talk to him, but the Prince would have none of it. Everything else would have to wait while Roan sought the truth behind these matters.

Pushing through a large set of red doors, they finally made their way into the office. The design of Cyrum's flag cold be seen in several locations. Once again, Ryudo felt his gut churn at the overly-used bright colours.

Not stopping until he reached the desk, Roan slammed his hands against the top of it. "Father! Is it true that you will open the Gate of Darkness?"

The King of Cyrum looked up. He looked old and rather sickly. Years had not treated him well. There was also a look of worry to his eyes, as though matters had been troubling him lately.

"Yes, but I see you are late, Roan. We have been given audience, and now we shall move to regain our lost pride!" The King let out a sudden cough. The bravado and show of strength he had tried to put into his voice had not seated well with his current state.

"What are you _saying_? Are you saying we can regain our pride once the Gate is opened and the Day of Darkness has come? But we do not know what disaster may result! We do not have to be bound by history! We do not _have_ to be 'The People of Darkness'!"

"Easy, my son." Trying a more relaxed manner, the King leaned back in his chair and motioned for Roan to calm down. "The messenger spoke of hope beyond that Gate. Hope for our people. And now that the Day of Darkness draws near, it is a time not for words, but for action!"

"How idiotic!" barked Roan, pulling back from the desk. "I will never give over the key! My medal!"

"Hmm, I note that you act not with dignity, as befits royalty. But no matter." Sighing, the King rose. "Your medal is no longer needed. The preparations are already made. The time to open the Gate of Darkness has come. No one can stop us. Prepare yourself!" Drawing his robes to him, the King held his head high and made his way for a door at the side of the room.

Ryudo stared after the King before switching his gaze back to Roan. The young blond stood there, shaken.

"Father... Mother would have never wished this to happen..."

"Just _what_ is about to happen?" questioned Ryudo, not liking having no idea about what was going on. "Who—or what—are the People of Darkness?"

Roan let out a heavy sigh. Clenching his hand into a fist, the young blond steeled himself. "Let me tell you why we are called 'People of Darkness'!" Holding himself tall, Roan strode over to where the Cyrum flag hung in the room. Standing beside the bright design, he reached out and clutched at the fabric tightly. "This is the coat of arms of this country." With a huff, he wrenched off the fabric, revealing a much more sinister design that they had all come to know too well.

"That's Valmar's crest..." breathed out Millenia when the rest remained silent.

The emblem of the God of Darkness stood out greatly in contrast to the rest of the room. Ryudo felt a bitter taste rise to his mouth. Part of him would have preferred to have it remain the disgustingly bright colours.

"The People of Darkness are those who fought with Valmar against Granas long ago..." explained Roan bitterly. His expression became twisted with remorse. "Yet no one worships Valmar now. This is an old scar from the distant past...long ago."

"Which means the 'messenger' must have been Valmar..." gasped out Ryudo. He would have said more on the matter when a sudden explosion shook everything.

"The earth moves and trembles... There is trouble below!" growled out Mareg.

Roan gasped sharply. "The Gate!" Never had Ryudo seen such fear in the young blond's eyes before now. "The Gate of Darkness...opened? It cannot be. The medal is right here!" Frantically, Roan grabbed at the medal that still hung around his neck for some sense of confirmation.

"Staying up here talking about it's not gonna help anything!" snapped San.

"Dammit, we need to be downstairs! Move!" barked out Ryudo. Taking the lead this time, for he remembered how they had gotten here in the first place, the Geohound hurried out of the office. Those that worked in the castle were all still shaken from the recent explosion. Frantic mutters of confusion could be heard as the group made their way back down to the Gate of Darkness.

"The demon-sealing...Gate has..." breathed out Roan once they reached the room. Blown open, all that remained of the door was the rubble that was scattered about. Letting out a cry, Roan rushed over to Menory's side. The old guardian had been knocked off of his chair, and now lay on the ground.

"You all right?" asked Ryudo.

They elderly man let out a cough. He was most certainly alive...for now. Looking over the man's wounds quickly, Ryudo had to hold back a hiss. It did not look good. "Pride...that man..." rasped Menory, pointing a shaking hand to the destroyed Gate. "Power to lead Darkness... His Highness has been fooled. The Bringer of Ruin must not be free..." As his voice trailed off, Menory breathed no more.

"Menory," chocked Roan.

Leaning his head back, the beast-man sniffed the dust-filled air. A sudden deep and furious growl escaped Mareg.

"What is it?" Standing quickly, Ryudo looked to Mareg. When the beast-man noticed something, it was not to be taken lightly.

"That...SMELL!" Anger dripped from his words. For a moment, the Geohound was very thankful that they were on the same side as Mareg now.

"Is it Valmar? Is Valmar sealed inside?"

"No, it is..." Gripping his mighty ax, Mareg let out such a roar that the others had to momentarily cover their ears. Such anger. Such rage. Nothing would be able to stand in the beast-man's way until he reached what he sought. "I've found him at last! Ruin-Bringer! Demon-Man! I have found him, and with my teeth I shall tear his throat!"

Rdyuo nearly stumbled back in realization. "_Melfice_?"

"Yes," agreed Millenia, taking a step forward. "One of my kind is definitely near."

"We can't just jump to the assumption that it's Melfice again," warned San. Having stood by the back of the room, the blue-haired Geohound made her way up to Mareg's side. Brow furrowing, Ryudo blinked as he noticed something...different about her. Like after she returned to them from talking with Zera privately, she seemed paler, as though she had seen a ghost. "Remember what happened back in Liligue?"

Mareg, too consumed by rage to hold back his anger, snarled at her. San was quick to take a step back before he really lost his temper. "There is no mistake this time! It is HE!" Baring his teeth, Mareg charged into the shadows behind the ruined Gate of Darkness.

Picking himself up, Roan was next to enter, muttering something about needing to see what his people had kept hidden all these years. With a nonchalant shrug, Millenia made her way over. With only the Geohounds left, Ryudo looked back over to San. Her head hidden, he was unable to make out her expression. After clenching her fist tighter, San hurried on after the other three.

Ryudo stared into the shadows as he finally made his way towards the the broken Gate. He swallowed nervously, muttering, "Could it really be Melfice...?"

Whether it was truth or another false assumption, he would soon find out.

* * *

**A/N:** Hm, who ever shall appear next chapter?

And, at last, the "date" scene! xD Keep in mind, I have nothing against Elena/Ryudo/Millenia, but this is a Ryudo/OC story so...yeah x3 I had actually written out that scene a couple years ago, so finally now it was able to be put into the main story. So if it seems to be written a little differently from the rest...that's why xD And the dream Ryudo had... I had also written some shorts on the side about dreams Ryudo had during this journey that dealt with San, but I didn't want to make this chapter any longer so I left it out... Plus now you can make up whatever it was he dreamt about, fufufu.

I shall try my best to get out the next chapter sooner than 4 months wait again, but no promises.

And, woo, this fan fic is now my first one to break 100,000 words! *waves a small flag in celebration*

The events of Cyrum shall continue!


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